Optics Blurry - Are My Eyes Going Bad?

[sawgunner2001]

I'm noticing lately that when I get behind a rifle with a magnified optic, that after only a minute or two of shooting, everything starts getting blurry. By everything, I mean both the target and the reticle. I'm pretty sure this isn't the fault of the optic, because it doesn't matter if I'm behind a Nightforce, Vortex, or Leupold, everything is fine for the first couple of minutes. But after 5-6 shots, everything gets blurry and I need to close my eyes for a period of time. This period of (recovery?) time seems to be getting longer with each trip to the range.

I'm in my early 40's with 20/20 vision in my right eye as of the last time it was checked (which was probably in my late 30's).

Are my eyes going bad? Is recoil scrambling my vision? This happens with a heavy .223 AR, heavy .308 AR, and a really heavy 6.5CM bolt action.

Can anyone else who may have experienced the same thing describe what's going on here? And more importantly, how to deal with it?

 

[cas6969]

I have no answer for you other than that the worst part for me is it's added doubt, confusion and made me stupid.

"Damn eyes, target's blurry again." (Idiot, you moved the target but didn't adjust the parallax)
"Damn eyes, I can't hold focus. They keep going from clear to blurry." (Stupid, the barrel is real hot, that's heat mirage.)
"Damn eyes, I'm seeing two sets of cross hairs now." (Jackass, the ocular lens adjustment got turned. Shot that way for weeks. Idiot.)

 

[Rob01]

Go to the eye doctor and get your eyes checked.

 

[Twitch2120]

FWIW I'm 35 and my eye does this from time to time. I suspect it is eye fatigue.

 

[Longshot231]

Maybe you have considered this but also realize that heat from the barrel after a few shots can cause mirage/blurriness.

 

[samnev]

t sounds to me like your eyes are straining which may mean you need to visit an optometrist for an eye exam and possibly need eye glasses. Your situation was similar to mine just fter I turned 40.

 

[CoryT]

If it's eye fatigue, it's because your ocular is not correctly adjusted and your eye muscles are squeezing to shape your eye to get perceived focus. Get the ocular focus set so when you just glance into the scope, the reticle is perfect. Don't look into the scope for more than a second, look away, make an adjustment, then look again. If your eye is working to compensate focus, you will wear it out and it will take a recovery period for the muscles to get back to work.

If you already wear prescription lenses, that may have changed and a new pair of lenses might be required. When was your last exam? Cataract development can also cause focus issues.

 

[Rob01]

I'm in my early 40's with 20/20 vision in my right eye as of the last time it was checked (which was probably in my late 30's).

Sounds like 4-5 years at least. Time to see a doctor.

 

[jbuck88]

I get the same thing occasionally. I went to the eye Dr and my right eye is good but left eye is bad. I got glasses but can't stand wearing them.

So I guess long story short. Mine is caused by eye fatigue. Right eye is compensating for the left eye. It gets really bad on a hunting trip where I spend all glassing. I'll bring my glasses for that.

 

[Ichi]

If it's eye fatigue, it's because your ocular is not correctly adjusted and your eye muscles are squeezing to shape your eye to get perceived focus. Get the ocular focus set so when you just glance into the scope, the reticle is perfect. Don't look into the scope for more than a second, look away, make an adjustment, then look again. If your eye is working to compensate focus, you will wear it out and it will take a recovery period for the muscles to get back to work.

If you already wear prescription lenses, that may have changed and a new pair of lenses might be required. When was your last exam? Cataract development can also cause focus issues.

I agree with the others in that you should get your eyes checked.

That said, not having the diopter in the ocular adjusted correctly can cause eye fatigue. Also some scopes like the Leica PRS seem to cause less eye fatigue. I can spend much more time behind my Leica PRS than the Steiner TX5i before I start noticing any blurry vision.

@koshkin also mentioned something similar in his review of the Leica PRS.

 

[TheOE800]

Sounds like eye strain. Get your eyes checked anyway.

 

[Precision Underground]

Not sure if your eyes are going bad but some things I’ve found that can cause this for me.

-Diopter not adjusted properly, this forces your eye to compensate for the out of focus reticle. Then you adjust side focus with your eye already straining to focus the reticle. After a little while your eye gets tired and it all goes to hell.

-LOOKING too hard through the scope…this sounds ridic but if you’re really laser focused on the center of the reticle or target it can strain your eye and cause fatigue. I try to “observe” what’s in the scope vs “look” through the scope. It sounds redundant and it’s hard to explain the difference but think of it as watching tv. When you watch tv you’re not laser focusing on one point on the tv. You just look at the whole thing and observe it with relaxed eyes. When you look hard at something you’re likely using the internal muscles/focus of your eye which will cause fatigue. If your cross dominant (dominant left eye but shoot right handed) this can really mess with you.

There are tons of tips on adjusting a diopter but figuring out what it feels like when you’re straining/looking too hard and/or using your eyes to compensate is the best way to avoid all issues like this IMO. Once you know what it feels like when your eye is strained or compensating your eye can stay relaxed. This makes it easy to adjust the diopter bc you can feel if you’re compensating while adjusting it.

Look at a wall and blank your mind out- just observe whole the wall. Notice that you can look at something on the wall without really focusing hard on it. Just look at it, don’t stare at it/focus on it. Thats observing. Now find something on the wall and focus hard on it, it will feel like tunnel vision vs what you just did. Do this back and forth for a while and you’ll start to feel the difference. Observing is relaxed and you can see the whole picture. Focusing too hard feels strained and like tunnel vision. Keeping both eyes open(or only very gently closing the support side eye) really helped me when I was figuring this out. If you’re squeezing your off-eye closed tightly you’re already straining your eyes.

 

[ma smith]

I'm in my early 40's with 20/20 vision in my right eye as of the last time it was checked (which was probably in my late 30's).

Might be 'Normal aging'...

With age, the lenses of the eyes become less flexible and make it difficult to focus on close objects, a condition called presbyopia. That’s why nearly everyone needs reading glasses as they reach their mid-40s or 50s.

https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2018/03/aging-eye

 

[SporterII]

Floaters cause me stress behind the optic. Often the entire sight picture is blurred.

 

[Birddog6424]

Go to the eye doctor and get your eyes checked.

Haha! This is what I was thinking

Honestly OP, step one is to see an optometrist.

If everything checks out, step two is to post on the Hide saying I got my eyes checked out and I'm good, so what's wrong with my scope.

 

[koshkin]

Make sure the eyepiece is properly adjusted. Make sure you blink occasionally.

ILya

 

[acudaowner]

better to have blurry vision that ed or explosive diarrhea that's just a pain kidney stones now there's a killer .

 

[Mike_in_FL]

I had a good old Soviet precursor to Lasik. My myopia turned into being far-sighted. So now my prescription is essentially for strong + prescription "readers". If I wear prescription glasses I have to readjust the ocular compared to wearing contact lenses and clear shooting glasses. You are the right age for readers so I'd try a dr. visit and readjusting the ocular.

 

[Glassaholic]

I have no answer for you other than that the worst part for me is it's added doubt, confusion and made me stupid.

"Damn eyes, target's blurry again." (Idiot, you moved the target but didn't adjust the parallax)
"Damn eyes, I can't hold focus. They keep going from clear to blurry." (Stupid, the barrel is real hot, that's heat mirage.)
"Damn eyes, I'm seeing two sets of cross hairs now." (Jackass, the ocular lens adjustment got turned. Shot that way for weeks. Idiot.)

cas you nailed it, 99% of the time this is usually wants happening and 75% of the time it's issue #2 - heat mirage from the barrel/suppressor, this can happen quicker than you realize and makes even a Tangent Theta look like a Barska

 

[hafejd30]

First thing I’d try is getting behind the optic without firing a shot. See if you repeat the process. That would rule out mirage. I often notice mirage with 3-4 shots on a calm day. With a bit of wind it’s not as much of an issue. With a suppressor, especially without a mirage cover, that effect is amplified.

We use mirage shield in fclass matches or the mirage off the barrel will completely wash out the target

I’ve given myself headaches trying to fight mirage off my barrel

 

[CJScout]

I'm noticing lately that when I get behind a rifle with a magnified optic, that after only a minute or two of shooting, everything starts getting blurry.

Is recoil scrambling my vision? This happens with a heavy .223 AR, heavy .308 AR, and a really heavy 6.5CM bolt action.

This past November after two years of confusion & thousands of miles of travel to specialists, I was finally diagnosed with Semi Superior Canal Dehiscence (SSCD). It comes with a myriad of symptoms, some of which are measured (like oscillopsia/nystagmus in the eyes) & others that can only be described subjectively (like being able to hear myself blink or even when my eyeballs move). It is not a shooting friendly condition to have.

One of my symptoms is called Visual Snow Syndrome. My surgeon is skeptical that my SSCD is directly causing the VSS but it is possibly made worse by it.

Adjusting the eye piece on a scope is now an extremely frustrating & seemingly impossible task. I can be getting to the dialed in point & suddenly be worse than when I started. My vision changes that quickly. I'm 54 with good vision. Have reading & night driving prescriptions but do most things without glasses.

I only mention this because of your comment about the shooting situations where it happens. I'm only shooting airguns nowadays due to this but suspect shooting heavier rounds would set off most of my symptoms, possibly including VSS.

VSS can also be caused by vestibular migraines. I was put on a very strict migraine diet to see if it helped but no luck. Vestibular migraines are not necessarily accompanied by a headache or traditional migraine symptoms, by the way.

I would read up on both vestibular migraines & VSS. I doubt you have SSCD but if you have any dizziness it might be worth reading up on that as well.

 

[Holliday]

Yes your eyes are going bad. Get to the eye doctor.