Long Relief - Does it make a difference

[Gina]

Yes, the structure of the eye is such that there is an area in the centre of the retina containing both rods and cones and outside of that are rods only. Now rods pick up monochrome light and are more sensitive than the cones which detect colours. So if you divert your gaze you will see fainter stars than you can see in your central vision.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I find that in older EPs (50 deg AFOV) the varifocals are OK, but in SWA and UWA it is a pain (same holds for my binoculars, which have 66 and 70 deg AFOV).

Contact lens are not really an option if you have a cylindrical aberration in your eyes, and observing without glasses is also not really an option.