Scope eye?

[Bulltipper]

Has anyone ever found thier scope eye vision getting fuzzy after prolonged time looking downrange through an optic? I had it happen today after 50 or so rounds through the .308 at the 200yd range. Seemed like I could make my eye focus, then it would get fuzzy. If I waited a bit or did some focus exercises (focus near then focus far away) It seemed to get better for a short time as well. Is this as simple as eye fatigue?

[wallenba]

If you are over 40, the eye takes longer to refocus. And over 50, dry eye is a possibility too, especially when concentrating on a shot and holding the eye open longer between blinks. These may be interpreted as what you are experiencing.

[onondaga]

Get an eye exam and tell the doctor what is happening.

That can be scary, I had a detached retina that started similarly. Go to an eye doctor.

Gary

[waksupi]

Pretty common for the spotters working on the long range targets. Wind, dust, and mirage are all contributing factors. Holding your breath will also cause this.

[44man]

Very common. Lack of oxygen from holding your breath and closing your left eye will also strain the other eye.
Target shooters use a blind over their left eye and keep it open or learn to shoot with both eyes open.
I shot IHMSA and all kinds of shooting games and even now on my own range, I keep breathing while getting set and only hold my breath at the last second before trigger break. The longer you hold your breath for each shot, the quicker your vision will fail. If you have to gasp for air after a shot you are done fast.
Breathing more keeps the heart rate more even and holds off the shakes too.

[btroj]

That is eye fatigue. 44 man gave you som e very good advice.
Others may disagree here but this is also why I prefer better quality scopes as I get older. I find that the sharper and clearer the optic are the less I get this kind of fatigue.

[blackthorn]

Obviously the majority think you have a common, benign problem and they are LIKELY right! BUT---eyesight is one, if not the most important, of the senses we are born with. Onandaga (Gary) has given you some really good advice! Following his sugestion to see an eye doctor will give you peace of mind---and may just keep you from going blind! Good luck!!

[cajun shooter]

I don't know your age or family health line but that is how my first signs of being a diabetic started. I was using a Leupold 3.5-10 and I knew it was not the optics. A check up some months later after hunting season I was found to have diabetes which is a deep rooted family gene. We were able to track it back 4 generations that caused the deaths of many on my mothers side. I hope your case is just older age but it should not be taken too lightly.

[blasternank]

I've had that happen to me on occasion. Sometimes I have to sit up and take a few breaths and then I'm fine. I think it has something to do with needing a little more oxygen or a break in concentration.

[1Shirt]

All good words of wisdom. This getting old just ain't for sissies! But it beats the alternative!
:coffeecom1Shirt!

[Bulltipper]

I first noticed this years ago with the same rifle and scope, after a couple hours of concentrated shooting I would start having this fuzziness thru the scope. I have done some more research on it and John Plaster cites eye strain in his book ,"The Ultimate Sniper".
I thank you all for your input, and for your concerns! I will probably have to see an eye doctor one of these days anyway, might as well be sooner than later eh?

[Doc Highwall]

The other's have given you good advise. The eye is the first organ to show lack of oxygen and you should not hold your breath for longer then 8 seconds max. The other thing not mentioned is how well you adjusted you eye focusing piece on your scope and if it is off even just a little eye fatigue will set in sooner. When I set mine up I focus the scopes parallax on the target and while the gun is resting on the rest and without touching it I will look through the scope and shift my eye to look to the side at something far away to relax the eye and shift back looking through the scope to see if the cross hairs are sharp doing this till both cross-hairs and distant object are clear instantly when switching back and forth. One other thing I just noticed when looking at your post is you were shooting at 200 yards. If you have a scope without parallax adjustment it will be focused at 150 yards and with higher magnification and good eyes will make your eyes tired trying to focus on the target. Focusing on the cross hairs instead of the target at the firing of the shot will help.

[Wayne Smith]

Since you have had problems, make sure your "eye doctor" is an opthomologist (MD) and not a optometrest (OD) who can only test pressure and check your vision.