your aging eyes and binos

[handwerk]

For those of you say 45 years old or older. With your vision likely getting worse as you age; do you find you appreciate/need the better optics of top tier binoculars or is the slight gain in optical quality going from mid-priced to alpha binos lost on you as your ability to appreciate the difference becomes less?

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

What I’ve noticed is my eyes get watery from the cold air and wind way easier the last couple seasons. Vision hasn’t changed much, if I didn’t wear contacts, I’d have glasses as thick as Coke bottles.
I would spend as much $ on binos as you can afford

 

[Fedster]

I always saved and bought alpha glass. I am 46. I still see the same image as I did 10 years ago, and it is not they eyes, it is the glass. Worth to invest in the best glass you can afford after saving for it.

 

[ElPollo]

I’m 52, near sighted, and have been experiencing vision changes since my mid-40s. I don’t think everyone’s vision changes in the same way, so my experience may not equal yours. Most of my issues have centered around decreasing close range vision because eyes tend to lose the ability to focus. I struggle with iron sights, and strangely with peep sights in particular. Binoculars have not been a major issue for me. My job still buys my binos, so I am just not an alpha glass person. My most recent binos are a pair of Maven C3 12x50s. I found the increase from 10-12 power really beneficial. I’ve looked through a lot of alpha glass and personally find the benefits over good mid-tier glass for binos to be pretty small for the investment. Now for a spotting scope, that changes. There is a big difference between mid-tier and alpha for spotters.

 

[Mike Islander]

Focus is fine on almost all binos of medium or higher quality IME. So for me, not a determining factor.

 

[bpurtz]

For those of you say 45 years old or older. With your vision likely getting worse as you age; do you find you appreciate/need the better optics of top tier binoculars or is the slight gain in optical quality going from mid-priced to alpha binos lost on you as your ability to appreciate the difference becomes less?

I don't typically ask for permission when I'm buying hunting gear, but if my wife ever asks why I need to have the most expensive optics on earth this medical necessity reason will hopefully help.

 

[Fatcamp]

I wasn't able to afford good binoculars until I was older. LOL

My vision is stable, thank goodness, because I have always been blind.

 

[Brian Fahs]

I'm 57 and have 20-15 vision.
I wear readers for the fine print but that's it.
Running alpha glass is a luxury I can afford and really appreciate. Would not do anything hunting related without alpha glass on my chest rig.

 

[BluMtn]

^^^^^Same boat^^^^^^ Except I am 63.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Just stepped up to Swarovski in the last two years, 66; readers but 20/15 and can still resolve Iron sights. I’m lucky. Might only have 20 good hunting years left but worth it.

 

[Shraggs]

59, 20-15 corrected vision glasses. alpha glass definitely. Or many of the very good B+.

Beyond that the biggest thing I’ve noticed in my eyes is light gathering diminishing, Really need 4mm exit pupil or better.

Also my perception I really need 16 mm eye relief and the more generous the eye box the better.

Love meopta, but this is the only reason that I kept an EL when I bought both - as optically, mechanical and ergonomics it was essentially a draw.

 

[handwerk]

I am lucky enough to have great optics in Leica Geovids and Swaro EL SV's. Part of my reason for the post is I recently for a short time had both the NL pure 10x42 and new EL Range TA's and spent many days comparing them at all distances/conditions to my current binos and concluded that the optical improvement was so small it wouldn't matter in the field and I'm still quite impressed with what I have:
Geovid HD-R 10x42
Swaro EL SV 8.5x42
Swaro EL SV 12x50

To younger eyes the difference maybe more apparent, but for my 55 year old eyes it was not.

 

[mi650]

55, and my eyesight is going downhill. Yes, I really appreciate nice glass these days.

 

[Ron.C]

52 Yrs old. I have great distance vision but my near vision seems to be getting worse fast, especially in my right eye. That said, I used leupold cascades for years but last year eye fatigue was an issue and I seemed to be forever messing with the diopter/focus

Upgraded this summer before hunting season. Had the go ahead from the wife to spend whatever I wanted and tried Zeiss, Swaro, Kowa but ended up settling on Vortex Razor HD's.

For my eyes, these binos just seem the best fit. After a season of elk and deer hunting, I am once again able to spend allot of time behing the glass and amazed at the detail and things I'm seeing.

to make it even better, I picked up a bino adapter for the tripod and was blown away at how much of a difference this made.

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Echoing a lot of what is said above, but at 56 I am well aware of my declining eyesight.

I am quietly stunned when one of my younger companions sees something at low light, or at distance, that I cannot even begin to see. It is disconcerting, as it used to be just the opposite.

For my style of hunting my optics and my boots get used a lot more than my bullets and broadheads.
The best hunting money I ever spent (and it was hard to spend it) was Swaro STS spotter and EL Range binos.

We are all different, so your mileage may vary, but to answer your original question I am very appreciative

 

[hawkman71]

I started with cheap readers at 40yo and now at 50 have Rx that call for significant mag at reading distances and probably 1.75 at long. I feel that Vortex Viper 10x50s are still perfect for me - but I HATE having to wear glasses while using them. I'd RATHER take my glasses off so that my eyes seat in the eyecups. That's the kicker for me with glasses. I can't keep taking them on and off... Ugh.