To do or not to do.... Using corrective lenses with scopes.

[Sitting Duck]

Is having another lens (nearsighted) that the light has to go through a bad thing when considering clarity of a scope?  I'm currently taking my glasses off when shooting.  I know... Safety issues.  I didn't realize I was doing this until it was pointed out to me by a fellow shooter. For some reason the sight picture is clearer without my glasses. 

Do safety glasses have any type of curvature to their lenses or are they just flat pieces of glass/plastic?  Assuming they are flat, would they diminish light transmission in the same way as curved lenses?  Not as much, more, or the same?

Are my (nearsighted) corrective lenses working against the benefits of the scope or is this just my perception?

 






     

[Dave in WV]

Try focusing the scope with your glasses on. When I focused one scope I have I selected an old truck 100 yards away. I focused the scope so the licence plate was clear. I would focus the scope using an object the distance away from you that the scope is set parallax free.

[Sitting Duck]

Thanks, Dave.  I'm sure I did the white wall focus thing with my glasses off.  I'll give 'er a shot.

The scope is an old Bushnell Sportsview 4X12X40 with AO and BDC.  The focus ring is locked in (glasses off) and if I have it on 10X at 200 yards I put the AO on 200.  I assume you put the AO on the yardage your shooting regardless of the power.  Correct?

[Dave in WV]

Yes, you're supposed to adjust the AO to the range your target is from you. The actual AO range marks (on scope) VS. actual range there is no parallax can be different even with top name (for quality) brands. Since you have an AO on your scope I would set the AO at a known range (100 yards would be my choice) and focus the scope with your glasses on. Then I  would adjust the AO (if needed) so there was no parallax and then refocus if necessary. I only have one scope with an AO (3x9). It's on a .22 so ranges are always short. I normally wear no line bifocals but I have one pair with no close distance correction for outdoor/shooting use.

[flintlock]

I am extremely nearsighted, have worn glasses or contacts over 40 years, I have never removed my glasses to shoot...

[LaOtto222]

+1 on the glasses - I adjust scopes to me

[charles p]

I have a habit of pushing my glasses up on my forehead and shooting without them.  Same for using my binoculars.  I wear no-iine bifocals.  Don't like the long eye relief option on my binoculars.  I much prefer to have my glasses off when I use them.  My binocs are Minox 10X42 and all my scopes are Leupolds.

I once wore two different contact lens.  My right eye had a distance lens and my left eye was my reading lens.  The reading lens was designed to focus at a very short distance thus it would produce a very clear sight picture inside the scope.  One day while sitting in a deer stand I swapped lens so my right eye would have the reading lens.  I shoot right handed.  Made me drunk and dizzy - had to go back.

I often remove my glasses at the last moments of daylight.  My glasses are the type that darken out of doors (transition lens).