Eye relief for glasses wearers

[wulfrunian]

I've been looking at my range of eyepieces, and I'm strongly tempted to gradually head towards wide angled EPs over a period of time, it would have to be one at a time! From reading lots of reviews on here, I'm thinking of the SW Nirvanas. My only concern is that the eye relief on these (16mm lenses and shorter) is 12mm, compared with 15-20mm for my current set, and I wear glasses - I normally keep them on while observing as it's a bit of a pain not being able to see anything away from the scope otherwise! Any comments from others who wear glasses and use EPs with this sort of eye relief?

[TheMightyKong]

Hey Wulfie,

I find I need to take my glasses off for ep's with that short eye relief. But then, my glasses don't sit that close to my eyes due to long eyelash clearance issues.

Hope this helps.

[lukebl]

Hi.

I'd be interested to know how folk with bad astigmatism (as I have had all my adult life) manage with their eyepieces.

Non-spec wearers often think that it's just a case of taking your glasses off and then adjusting the focus accordingly for crisp focus. With my astigmatism, you just won't get it in focus UNLESS you keep your specs on. Ok for fuzzies, but not so good for planets and doubles. I tried contact lenses once, but they didn't work for me.

I can't afford any expensive long-eye-relief eyepieces right now, which is why I seem to do more imaging than observing!

Cheers,

Luke

[Breakintheclouds]

Luke,

I wonder if your problem with contacts was related to having your head at funny angles? When you said they didn't work for you, did you mean at the telescope, or in general? Because contacts for astigmatism are heavier at the bottom so that they stay the right way round. But this means that if your head is at an angle (as it often is for looking through a scope) they spin round and get into the wrong orientation. So making an effort to keep your head the right way up might help?

[durr]

Luke, I use the Baader hyperions and suffer with astigmatism like you. They are a bit expensive but will transform your hobby. Going down another route, which I also use, is buying a Watec 120n+ camera and a good monitor. You will see stuff from your back garden even if it is light polluted, I can see the central star in m57 with my 120mm refractor. Again expensive but superb. Steve.

[wulfrunian]

Thanks for the replies... as I thought, I'd probably have to change my viewing habits and observe without glasses if I went for as small as 12mm eye relief. I don't suffer from astigmatism so I could do that. Alternatively, maybe the Hyperions might be a good shout - looking around, there don't seem to be that many wide angle long eye relief eyepieces around. I've been looking at the Vixen LVW's which look really good, although they come with a price to match of course, twice as much as the Hyperions or Nirvanas. Hmm, food for thought!

[Macavity]

I seems difficult to predict what will work. When I started out, as a glasses wearer - Mostly short sighted, but with SOME astigmatism, I assumed I would never be able to use any eyepiece, with eye relief less than 20mm. I started with (the excellent) Vixen Lanthanums, and have moved to Baader Hyperions. I am now looking at "longer" Nirvanas etc. Maybe ONE (21mm) Ethos... one day?

On the way though, I have used eyepieces with significantly less eye relief - And some seem to work! With a bit of "glass grinding", I think I have even used the odd eyepiece with as little as (quoted) 12mm eye relief? But such seems to depend on many factors... and not all seem to be quantifiable. No real answer, unfortunately?

I think I'd be tempted by >=16mm, but then, not my money...

[DaveS]

Anyone tried the WO SPL eyepieces? They're advertised as having a long (20mm) and constant eye relief even with very short FL.

It'll be a while before I can afford anything as my 'scope has put rather a large hole in my credit card!

Dave

[wulfrunian]

I wondered about the WO SPL's too, but I'd like a wider FOV. Just been reading more about Vixens, as everyone who's had them seems to love them - they're a bit heavy at around 1lb weight aren't they, I wonder if I'd need any counterweights with them... though of course I must resist spending that much on an eyepiece - must resist - must resist - help me here!

[Macavity]

One suspects Baader Hyperions give Vixen LVW's a good run for the money...

Hyperion - English version (If you haven't already read it)

Considering the weight, [iMO] Hyperions work best (are at least are "safer") used in their 2" mode. With a 2" diagonal and Hyperion on the back of a smallish (or even larger) scope, you may well need to add counterweight on the other end. This is more "DIY" than science, provided the mount will take the added *total* lbs.

[Darren B]

Another vote for the Baader Hyperions and WO SPL's. These work well for me(I wear specs too). Also BO/TMB Planetaries if you can find them, though Modern Astronomy sell the TS versions which are very similar in design.

[lukebl]

Luke,

I wonder if your problem with contacts was related to having your head at funny angles? When you said they didn't work for you, did you mean at the telescope, or in general? Because contacts for astigmatism are heavier at the bottom so that they stay the right way round. But this means that if your head is at an angle (as it often is for looking through a scope) they spin round and get into the wrong orientation. So making an effort to keep your head the right way up might help?

My problem was that I just couldn't get on with contacts generally. Too much of a faff compared to specs. I think I'll give some Hyperions a go when I win the Premium Bonds (I don't do the Lottery, but having 1500 quids-worth of bonds and still not won anything after 15 years perhaps the Lottery might be more worthwhile!).

Cheers

[wulfrunian]

One suspects Baader Hyperions give Vixen LVW's a good run for the money...

Hyperion - English version (If you haven't already read it)

Considering the weight, [iMO] Hyperions work best (are at least are "safer") used in their 2" mode. With a 2" diagonal and Hyperion on the back of a smallish (or even larger) scope, you may well need to add counterweight on the other end. This is more "DIY" than science, provided the mount will take the added *total* lbs.

I hadn't seen that article no, thanks, very interesting read. What do you mean by them being safer in their 2" mode?

[gary1968]

I was at the optician today as I have noticed a deterioration in my sight over the last year or so.

It turns out I need varifocals and I also have a 'slight' astigmatism. It might be that I will have to change my EP's for some with longer eye relief. I suppose I am lucky, my EP's were not the expensive. I have a set of Antares Super Plossils and a couple of Standard Celestrons, these came with my scopes. I also recently bought a 8 ~ 24 zoom so that might be for sale soon.

Imaging is my main thing now though, but I do like a look through my scope from time.

Gary

[Macavity]

I hadn't seen that article no, thanks, very interesting read. What do you mean by them being safer in their 2" mode?

Nothing profound. As you know, Hyperions work in either a 1.25" or 2" fitting. Being a tad (top) heavy, they can be safer wrt. physically falling out, with a 2" diagonal - Especially if the diagonal rotates on the end of the scope. Bigger clamp, more screws etc. Depends on the setup...

[25585]

On 22 November 2009 at 21:59, gary1968 said:

I was at the optician today as I have noticed a deterioration in my sight over the last year or so.

It turns out I need varifocals and I also have a 'slight' astigmatism. It might be that I will have to change my EP's for some with longer eye relief. I suppose I am lucky, my EP's were not the expensive. I have a set of Antares Super Plossils and a couple of Standard Celestrons, these came with my scopes. I also recently bought a 8 ~ 24 zoom so that might be for sale soon.

Imaging is my main thing now though, but I do like a look through my scope from time.

Gary

I have a similar sight but more complex, can't use off the shelf reading specs fo example. 

Eye piece I buy have to have a minimum of effective ER of 20mm. Also wearing expensive spectacle lenses, I don't want to scratch them. 

 

[rwilkey]

The WO SPL's are really comfortable to use and have good eye relief as suggested by their blurb.  I would avoid the Baader Hyperions as they are not so good in fast scopes (f/5 and faster). 

[Scooot]

I have an astigmatism so I usually use a Televue Dioptrx with my glasses off. I have one and just fit it to whatever eyepiece I’m using. It does fit some non televue eyepieces as well I hear but you’d need to check. It also uses up a bit of the eye relief so it might not work with all 100° eyepieces with tight eye relief. Eg I can just about see the whole fov with my 13mm ethos (eye relief 15mm), & my 26mm Nagler (eye relief 16mm), with the eye guard down, but it was no good with a 100° Explore Scientific eyepiece I tried once which had 14mm eye relief.

However with my little frac I wear my specs using either the 24mm panoptic or 9mm DeLite. 

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, 25585 said:

Also wearing expensive spectacle lenses, I don't want to scratch them.

I've scratched too many eyeglass lenses over the years on eyepieces to count.  As a result, I bought a cheap pair of online eyeglasses that correct my astigmatism and are set for infinity focus across the entire field (no bifocal/varifocal).  I also had them made with the lowest refractive index material possible to minimize inducing edge of field chromatic aberrations.  I keep this pair of glasses in my case of miscellaneous astro bits and pieces.  I think I paid under $20 shipped from eyebuydirect.com, IIRC.  To read up close, I just look under them since my old eyes are fixed focus at about one foot and my astigmatism doesn't bother reading too much.

[25585]

That could be my next optic too!