Is this normal?

[saibot]

I was thinking about entering some of my gun club's rimfire matches so I just picked up a Savage FVXP and put my Bushnell 2 - 7 on it and started plinking away. A couple things I've noticed is that my (right) eye has a hard time looking through my scope for very long. The crosshairs get fuzzy and I can barely focus on them. I can look away for a while and get off a shot or two before it starts up again. Then I can't get the target AND the crosshairs sharp. I have to focus on one or the other. And then my vision is not right for a while after shooting. Is this normal eye fatigue and par for the course? Any tips? I've always shot iron sights so this is all new to me.

Thanks, all!

[Duane Thomas]

Have you ever ascertained which is your dominant eye? Sounds like you might be left eye dominant.

[saibot]

Have you ever ascertained which is your dominant eye? Sounds like you might be left eye dominant.

When I make a little hole with my hands, look off into the distance at something and pull my hands back to my face I am looking through the hole with my right eye. So I guess I'm right eye dominant.

[Duane Thomas]

I've never liked that technique. Try this:

Look at something a reasonable distance away. Point your finger right at it. Then close one of your eyes, it doesn't matter which one. Open that eye. Then close the other one. You'll notice that with one or the other eye open it looks like your finger moves, with the other eye it doesn't. The eye that is open when your finger doesn't move is your master eye.

[saibot]

That's clever. I haven't heard of that one before. But it does confirm right eye dominance for me.

[Duane Thomas]

Are you holding your breath while aiming? You can only do that for a few seconds before you vision starts to blur. That's why the whole breathe in, let it half out, fire trick.

[Chris Christian]

Your scope should have an adjustable ocular lens (the rear lens on the scope). There should be a ring just forward of that which you can loosen, and then twist the rear lens. That's used to focus it to your eye. Play with that... the objective is to get the crosshairs into the sharpest focus you can achieve. Once you do that things might be better for you. Individual eyes are different... that's why the ocular allows focussing. Give it a shot .... get the crosshairs really sharp... and let us know how that worked out. Other scope factors may be at play, but that's the place to start.

Chris Christian

[kevin c]

Not meaning to get too personal, but, how old are you, and do you wear corrective lenses?

Much past 40 years of age, farsightedness sets in. Vision at distance may be fine, but close in is blurry, as the eye loses the ability to adjust the near focus. Many folks wear reading glasses, adjusting the sharp focus of the eye for reading distance, but sacrificing distance vision while the glasses are in use. Some folks opt for "monovision" correction, where they correct one eye for distance, the other for near work, and use one or the other eye as the situation requires.

Scopes, I understand (I use them very rarely) are adjusted for distance vision. If you are using correction for near vision as you look through the scope, the image will blur. Your eye may or may not be able to correct for it, bringing the image into focus only briefly. This goes for any kind of lens, including binoculars and video camera viewfinders.

My regular wear contact lens have the dominant eye correction for front sight distance for iron sights (just how hardcore am I? ), but I need to put on other correction to read, and yet another correction (for distance for the dominant eye) to see clearly through a scope or viewfinder.

Another thought is the offset from the scope - I think they're all designed for the shooter's eye to be some set distance away from the ocular, and if you're either too close or too far perhaps that affects the image.

Just some thoughts from a nonscope user...

eta: I see CC and MarkCO got in there w/ some informed scope user info while I was doing the two digit typing tango. Good stuff

Edited October 21, 2009 by kevin c

[MarkCO]

I will assume you are young. If the scope focus is off, your eye will be able to adjust, then tire and lose foucs. There is a focus ring on the eyepiece, or the eyepiece itslef can be rotated to adjust it.

Should have just "Ditto" Chris. I got a phone call after I hit reply and he jumped in with just what I was thinking.

Edited October 21, 2009 by MarkCO

[saibot]

Duane-

I do tend to hold my breath, so I'll work on that.

Chris-

I have played with it and wasn't sure if I should focus it on the crosshairs or on the target. Good to know I should put it on the crosshairs.

MarkCO-

"If the scope focus is off, your eye will be able to adjust, then tire and lose foucs"

That really makes sense and will be the first thing I work on. (and the breathing)

Kevin c-

Wow, you have a lot of contacts! I'm 36 and have always had really good vision, so no corrective lens...yet. I mounted this scope myself to what seemed to be the right distance, but who knows if it's correct. I really don't know how far it should be from my eye so there may be a problem there, too.

Thank you all for your help with this! I'll play with the ocular focus on my scope next time I get to the range and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!

[JD45]

From what I have been told, there is an easy way to adjust the eyepiece. You need to be looking at a white ceiling or wall, or a clear blue sky. Mount the rifle exactly like you will when shooting. As soon as you look through the scope the reticle should be clear and sharp. If you spend any time there, your eye will adjust to an out of focus reticle.

Adjust the eyepiece until the reticle is sharp almost instantly. It usually take big turns to get there, not fine 1/8 turns. At least I hope that is the correct way. It has worked for me many years.

[Chris Christian]

+1 to JD45's focussing method. It's what I do and I should have mentioned it.

Chris Christian

[saibot]

From what I have been told, there is an easy way to adjust the eyepiece. You need to be looking at a white ceiling or wall, or a clear blue sky. Mount the rifle exactly like you will when shooting. As soon as you look through the scope the reticle should be clear and sharp. If you spend any time there, your eye will adjust to an out of focus reticle.

Adjust the eyepiece until the reticle is sharp almost instantly. It usually take big turns to get there, not fine 1/8 turns. At least I hope that is the correct way. It has worked for me many years.

Great advice! I will try this as soon as I can get back out to the range.

Thanks again!

[SHinck82]

Another thing to keep in mind with scope is that unless you had a lot of experience looking through a scope your eye will fatigue pretty quick. Try opening both eyes till you are ready aim and fire. Also you can try just staring through the scope when you aren't shooting to try to strengthen the eye. And remember not to strain your eye when you aim. Like Chris said the focus is key to not straining the eye. Another quick fix is an ACOG where you can aim both eyes open :-P

[inkedshooter]

If you still have the box/manual your scope came in, look to see what the eye relief is supposed to be. This is the distance between the rear lens of the scope to your dominant eye, usually 2-3" for a typical rifle scope. To fine tune the adjustment, you can adjust the rear lens as others have suggested. Next try adjusting your scope power to the target. Focus on your target and adjust the power on it till you can see the cross hairs and what your'e shooting at clearly. Also like others have suggested see if your scope has a yardage adjustment and adjust accourdingly. Pay attention to your cheek position on your stock and breathing also like others suggested. Also depending on the brand of scope you got, it may not be your eyes, cheaper the scope the cheaper the glass.