Best BirdWatching Binoculars for those with Glasses

In the last post, I went over some things to look for when you are searching for best birdwatching binoculars and if you missed it, then you can check it out if you want. However, I am sure many of you weren't too happy with the vague answer I gave in regard to this issue. To recap, there isn't a such thing as a general "best birdwatching binoculars" but rather the answer would be to find the best binoculars for you......

Today, I am going to add to the last post and go over what you need to look for if you are choosing a set of binoculars and you wear glasses. The reason why I am doing this is because it is important to realize that if you wear eyeglasses, you are going to really want to pay attention to a few things; in particular, you are going to want to find a set of optics that have long eye relief.

What do I mean when I say Eye Relief?

Basically eye relief is the distance behind the eyepiece that will show the whole field of view. In other words, it is how far back your eye can be from the eyepiece where you can still see the image in the viewfinder. Eye Relief is measured in millimeters and in order for someone that wears glasses (or sunglasses) to comfortably handle this obstacle, they will need to find a pair that has a minimum of 14 mm and preferably higher. And as you can probably imagine, nothing can push your eye further back from the eyepiece than a pair of spectacles.

Thankfully, most of the newer binoculars have taken this into account and actually have fold-down rubber caps which can improve the view immediately. However, if you wear glasses, you are going to want to find a set of binoculars that actually can accomodate those that have this issue.

One of the "key phrases" that you are going to want to look for when choosing a set of binoculars will be high eye point, which basically is another way of say long eye relief. Most binocular manufacturers have this printed in their specs but if you can (assuming you aren't ordering them online), I recommend that you test a pair out firsthand before making a decision.

Remember, the higher the eye relief, the better field of vision you will have if you wear glasses. That's it for today. Finding the best birdwatching binoculars is not about price but about what is best for you....I am out.