Binoculars with vision issues?
January 4, 2023 9:38 AM Subscribe
Could my 74-year-old father use a pair of binoculars, despite eye disease and age-related strabismus?
My 74-year-old father loves taking nature photographs outdoors in his neighborhood. He also is dealing with a progressive eye disease (Fuch's Dystrophy) that causes spots of blurry vision, which gets worse during the day. Recently, he has also been experiencing a lazy eye for longer and longer during the day, which apparently causes double vision when driving or if watching a play from an angle.
I was thinking of getting him a nice pair of binoculars to complement his photography and enjoyment of bird watching. Could he use them, given his eye issues, or should I think about a different gift?
My 74-year-old father loves taking nature photographs outdoors in his neighborhood. He also is dealing with a progressive eye disease (Fuch's Dystrophy) that causes spots of blurry vision, which gets worse during the day. Recently, he has also been experiencing a lazy eye for longer and longer during the day, which apparently causes double vision when driving or if watching a play from an angle.
I was thinking of getting him a nice pair of binoculars to complement his photography and enjoyment of bird watching. Could he use them, given his eye issues, or should I think about a different gift?
I would agree that if he has a lazy eye and has trouble with double-vision, using binoculars is going to be especially hard - many people find it difficult to align their eyes to a pair of binoculars without the additional challenge of underlying visual difficulties, so I think this might prove an exercise in frustration.
However, a monocular or, better, a spotting scope might be ideal, as it will only require use of one eye. If he's taking photos with a camera with a viewfinder, he'll already be used to one-eye viewing and if not, it's much easier than using binoculars.
Worth knowing: Monoculars are typically designed to be handheld and pocketable, compared to spotting scopes which are usually larger and often designed for use on a tripod - you'll see more and more easily/clearly through a scope, but they're not really designed to be handheld so if that's important, look for monocular instead.
If this was me, I'd look for a nice entry-level spotting scope and tripod (they're often sold as a bundle) unless pocketability is really important.
posted by parm at 10:57 AM on January 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
However, a monocular or, better, a spotting scope might be ideal, as it will only require use of one eye. If he's taking photos with a camera with a viewfinder, he'll already be used to one-eye viewing and if not, it's much easier than using binoculars.
Worth knowing: Monoculars are typically designed to be handheld and pocketable, compared to spotting scopes which are usually larger and often designed for use on a tripod - you'll see more and more easily/clearly through a scope, but they're not really designed to be handheld so if that's important, look for monocular instead.
If this was me, I'd look for a nice entry-level spotting scope and tripod (they're often sold as a bundle) unless pocketability is really important.
posted by parm at 10:57 AM on January 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Came here to suggest looking into monoculars as well. There are a number of monoculars on the market that are specifically designed to assist people with various types of vision loss. They come in a variety of magnifications and vary in their adjustability and the field of view that they offer. Some are even equipped to be wearable, while others are handheld.
The tricky thing here is that what's helpful is going to be very specific to him - it may be a bit of a "try before you buy" situation (and precision optics get a bit spendy as well).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:45 PM on January 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
The tricky thing here is that what's helpful is going to be very specific to him - it may be a bit of a "try before you buy" situation (and precision optics get a bit spendy as well).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:45 PM on January 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
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