wearing glasses while observing?

[yesyes]

Hi. I have rather weak glasses (slightly short sighted, 0.5 and 0.75 d) that I usually only wear when I'm driving.

I was wondering whether I should also wear them when looking through the eyepiece? Or does the focusing correct for this?

[gfletcher]

The focusing should correct this unless you suffer from astigmatism.

I unfortunately suffer from astigmatism and have to wear glasses when observing under low powers.

This where long eye relief eyepieces are a god send.

The only time that i can get away without using glasses is when observing at high powers.

hope that helps

Graham

[abumuhannadh]

i don't use my glasses when observing. and my numbers are -1.25, -1.50. the focusing corrects it for me.

[yesyes]

Thanks! That's what I thought but wanted to confirm ...

So when I observe with a friend who does not need glasses (or has a different strength), we would need to change focus slightly when looking at the same object after each other?

[Dave Smith]

Same here. I usually observe without my glasses on and the focusing corrects ok. I don't have any significant astigmatism.

Dave

[Dave Smith]

Thanks! That's what I thought but wanted to confirm ...

So when I observe with a friend who does not need glasses (or has a different strength), we would need to change focus slightly when looking at the same object after each other?

Yes that is right. When I take my scope to an open evening, I do the focusing with my glasses on so that the focus is correct for most people.

Dave

[Specman]

If you are obseving alone you can omit the glasses, so long as your happy blundering around half blind or popping them off and on as needed.

If you are sharing your scope both of you should wear your specs to save constant refocus issues.

Clear skies!

Mark

[yesyes]

Thanks for the comments.

I'm fine without the glasses during observing. I usually don't wear them at all, only when I'm driving (so I can read signposts before it's too late). ;-)

I was just wondering whether i would be able to see better when looking through the scope with glasses on. That doesn't seem to be the case. I shall remember to take the glasses from the car in the rare event of sharing my scope.

[russ]

I suffer with astigmatism and find the glasses transform my view of the sky. For me personally, they are also a must for low/medium power eyepieces. But i omit them for high power viewing.

I often wonder how many people haven't had their eyes tested and as such don't realise they have an astigmatism.

[Macavity]

I'm a sort of on-off guy myself. I break most rules by using varifocals for the casual look. But I usually remove my glasses for (my short sighted, non-astigmatic) detailed observing. I must get myself one of those "string things" because I'm always forgetting (can't see!) where I leave my glasses. My initial online search was a bit TOO "Edna Everage" though I think...

[Specman]

Don't forget guys to make sure you get special stargazing glasses for viewing through your telescope (that helps justify the price )

You have all these super coatings on you telescope and eyepieces, don't forget an anti reflection on your spectacle lenses. And not just any old tat! A cheap coating is a nightmare but at good coating will enhance your viewing pleasure.

I recommend the ESSILOR Crizal Forte coating. Anti smudge, anti-scratch, stay clean, reflection free!

Its the best on the market IMHO, and its Guaranteed for 2 years against scratching as it has a layer of Zirconium Oxide (Cubic Zarconia, DIAMOND no less). So confident are they in this product they will replace your lesses FREE of charge no matter how you scratch them! Even if your drop them on a gravel path!

Great to protect your lenses looking through equipment!

Clear skies

Mark

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have astigmatism (cylindrical -1.75 and -2.00) which means I do use glasses. I prefer to use a pair I have for the computer (corrected to viewing at 80 cm), because the others are varifocal (which do not work nicely, especially with my Nagler and Meade UWA)

[steve_bham]

I have slight astigmatism but dont normally wear glasses when observing unless my eyes are tried, if they are you really do notice when looking in the EP.

One think i want to get is an eye-patch to stop me screwing my face up

[Mikea]

Don't forget guys to make sure you get special stargazing glasses for viewing through your telescope (that helps justify the price )

You have all these super coatings on you telescope and eyepieces, don't forget an anti reflection on your spectacle lenses. And not just any old tat! A cheap coating is a nightmare but at good coating will enhance your viewing pleasure.

I recommend the ESSILOR Crizal Forte coating. Anti smudge, anti-scratch, stay clean, reflection free!

Its the best on the market IMHO, and its Guaranteed for 2 years against scratching as it has a layer of Zirconium Oxide (Cubic Zarconia, DIAMOND no less). So confident are they in this product they will replace your lesses FREE of charge no matter how you scratch them! Even if your drop them on a gravel path!

Great to protect your lenses looking through equipment!

Clear skies

Mark

I bet you work for Specsavers!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I agree with Mark, when I got my "computer glasses" (essentially had non-varifocal glasses put in the old frame), I did not hesitate to pay the extra 40 euros (say 30 pounds) per glass for top quality coating. If you buy a Nagler, anything less would be silly.

[Specman]

I bet you work for Specsavers!

Not likely!

I work for myself...Woundn't sell any old tatty stuff!

[Specman]

No...Seriously now! If you have all these super Starbright coatings throughout your system and 100 quids worth of EP, then 'whack' a tatty old pair of scratched, un-coated spectacle lenses 'in-line' then it all becomes a bit silly. You need perfect vision and crystal clear coatings right through to the eye for the best viewing.

Especially when you notice that the far away nebula you were looking at was only a smudge or scratch on your lenses.

I agree that Varifocals are not a good option for viewing, but if you need to write notes and need reading glasses a better option might be a pair of bifocals with the segments low enough to keep out of your line of sight when viewing. Get a pair made up and keep them with your kit, just for the job (plenty of two for one offers about )

If viewing is better without your specs take a look at them, if they are scratched up and filthy, held together with tape perhaps its time for a new pair!

Clear skies guys!

Mark

[Odd Thomas]

mmmmm, interesting thread guys and somthing I never gave much thought to. I wear varifocals and it never even crossed my mind to wear them when observing, I feel a test coming on!

[gfletcher]

I have varifocals but when observing i always put my single vision lens glasses on.

I found that observing using varifocals was awkward due to the change in lens from distance through mid range to close up.

Has anyone else found this to be the case ?

Graham

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thanks! That's what I thought but wanted to confirm ...

So when I observe with a friend who does not need glasses (or has a different strength), we would need to change focus slightly when looking at the same object after each other?

I'd imagine that any 2 people using the same scope would need to refocus after each other.

While i was on holiday recently i had my scope out and the session turned into a free for all. I had about 20-30 people come up and ask to have a look through my scope. I think every single person had to tweak the focus when the scope was pointed at the moon (just for example). I noticed that the kids focusing was what i would call very out of focus and the adults focusing was close enough to my own. I asked the kids was the moon in focus and they said yes. They had control over the scope while using it so its not like they were looking through it and i was focusing for them. The only thing i was doing was sitting close to the scope incase it fell over.

The kids using the scope ranged from about 6-16 yrs old. The adults ages ranged from 30-60 yrs old.

It was interesting to see the difference between how much better younger peoples eyesight is against older peoples. Many of the older people (and a few kids) wore glasses too.

I wear glasses for driving and watching tv and using the computer but i simply can not get along with wearing them while using bins or scopes. The focus of the bins/scopes seems to compensate well for the lack of glasses.

My eyesight can see things near to me pretty perfectly without glasses but things far away are just a blur.

Is that long or short sighted? I can never remember.

[LukeSkywatcher]

No...Seriously now! If you have all these super Starbright coatings throughout your system and 100 quids worth of EP, then 'whack' a tatty old pair of scratched, un-coated spectacle lenses 'in-line' then it all becomes a bit silly. You need perfect vision and crystal clear coatings right through to the eye for the best viewing.

Especially when you notice that the far away nebula you were looking at was only a smudge or scratch on your lenses.

I agree that Varifocals are not a good option for viewing, but if you need to write notes and need reading glasses a better option might be a pair of bifocals with the segments low enough to keep out of your line of sight when viewing. Get a pair made up and keep them with your kit, just for the job (plenty of two for one offers about )

If viewing is better without your specs take a look at them, if they are scratched up and filthy, held together with tape perhaps its time for a new pair!

Clear skies guys!

Mark

You know i had never thought of it like that. We spend whatever we can afford on getting the best optical view from our gear and then we observe with a cheapy pair of specs.

A/ The specs are adding yet more glass between the object and our eyeball

B/ The quality of that glass in the specs is pretty much CRUD

Therefor its our glasses that are letting us down at the last hurdle.

I have just had a Eureka moment. I think i am going to apply to go into the Dragons Den and get the backing of the ONLY dragon that wears glasses................Theo.

My god it is so simple its BRILLIANT.

Sorry i cant say anymore until i patent my idea.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I would not say the optical quality of glass in specs is crud: do not forget Corning, Schott and Zeiss are big players in this market. I always go for high quality glasses and that costs me, but I HATE seeing things blurry, with or without my scope.

[Specman]

Optical glass is not crud, true you can get higher grades and quality. Like most things you get what you pay for! The quality of lenses used in ready readers from the petrol station is questionable, but optical lenses are classed as medical devices and correct the optical defects in the most technically advanced camera ever invented! The eye!

The problem usually arrises from abuse in my opinion. Question: Would you abuse your EP's the way you abuse your glasses? Hands up who keeps their EP's in a case....Now hands up who keeps their specs in a case when not in use?

There is a lot of urban myths surrounding lenses and coatings.

High quality ophthalmic lens coatings are probably of an equal if not higher quality than the coatings on your EP's and Telescopes. All this business about not cleaning your optics except in a dyre emergency or only once a year for example. Good quality coatings are not that fragile. Bad practice and poor cleaning techniques, when you don't know what you are doing is probably why they tell you to leave alone.

I've seen cheap nasty coatings that can be scratched off your lenses with your thumb nail! On the other hand multi layer coatings are available that contain a layer of what can only be described as industrial diamond, that has anti-scratch, anti-smudge and stay clean properties.

Grabbing a gritty hanky and cleaning lenses dry is why they get scratched. Grit or swarf from threads is your enemy, but a puffer, fin brush, good quality micro-fibre cloth and a quality lens cleaning fluid, is just the business.

I have read in an advert of a well known Astro supplier that you shouldn't use micro-fibre cloths from opticians on your lenses. What you need is our special lens cloth and cleaner costing three times the price instead!!

Lenses are lenses, coatings are coatings guys and a good quality micro-fibre cloth and cleaner will do the job. Just don't get dirt and grit on the cloth! Oh,....Yes, and don't clean them unless you have too, you know...just for the fun of it!

Clear skies

Mark

[yeti monster]

Just as an aside Specman, you being, as far as I can gather, and optometrist, I use Uvex lens solution and Kimberly-Clarke tissues to clean my spectecles and EPs. Would you agree that these products are ok to use on the coatings of my EPs? I personally haven't experienced any issues with them (yet), but would hate to find in 12 months time that I'd been abrading the coatings away.

Note: I'll only clean them when absolutely necessary.

[Specman]

Just as an aside Specman, you being, as far as I can gather, and optometrist, I use Uvex lens solution and Kimberly-Clarke tissues to clean my spectecles and EPs. Would you agree that these products are ok to use on the coatings of my EPs? I personally haven't experienced any issues with them (yet), but would hate to find in 12 months time that I'd been abrading the coatings away.

Note: I'll only clean them when absolutely necessary.

Firstly Yeti, I'm not an Optometrist, I am (amongst other things) a qualified Spectacle Maker, free of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, London.

With regard to using products to clean your EP's. I'm not familiar with your cleaning fluid, however most of these products are identicle. Check the instructions on the back of the product. As long as it says, suitable for coated lenses or all types of lenses and coatings, or similar your fine! These days many cleaners say, suitable for all optical equipment or specifically mentions cameras and binoculars.

Tissues you have to be careful with. Kimberly-Clarke tissues are used by the optical industry, I've used them myself and used carefully should be fine. Kitchen or hand towel is a no, no. Quality facial tissues are OK (extra care in manufacture as they are for the face).

Some people say you shouldn't use tissues, I don't agree. Unlike a cloth you use a fresh one each time then bin it! Less chance of contamination. The main thing is quality and never use a cloth or tissue dry during cleaning. What I mean is never JUST use a tissue to clean.

Micro-fibre cleaning cloth is better. The main problem is keeping your cloth clean, good housekeeping. If you drop it on the floor its game over, though good micro-fibre cloths can be washed over and over.

Watchout for cleaners that contain propellant, canned air, aerosols etc.

Remember your coating is only microns thick. What is going to damage it is over enthusiastic rubbing and grit! Don't clean unless absolutely necessary. Clean a lens just once with grit on a cloth (just one grain of sand) and its game over! That goes for ALL lenses, including your specs.

Cheers

Mark