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Target Gets Blurry After a Few Seconds in the Scope

Zeta7

I might answer my own question, fatigue. I participate in a 600yrd match with a Rem 700 / Votrex 5-25 PST II and use a barrel heat diffuser. I shoot three strings of 20 rounds. I’ll get into the scope and the reticles and target-X are crystal clear and after a few seconds the target gets blurry. I’ll come out of the scope and try to rest my eyes for a few minutes, then go back in the scope. Same thing, blurry after a few seconds. I’ve considered the mirage and barrel heat, but I just don’t understand how the X can be clear for the first few moments. I should also mention I wear seamless bifocal regular and sun glasses. Thx for the help — Dougie
 
I have had this situation for quite awhile now. In 2009 I had LASIK and my eyes were actually better than 20/20. But the muscles in my eyes are still old! It is muscle fatigue that causes the blurriness. The brighter the sunlight, where heat waves become bad, the strain to "see thru" them exacerbates the "work" your eyes have to do, thus hastening the fatigue and ergo the blurriness! Age has A LOT to do with it. However, having poor eyesight for a long time will do it too, even if you're "relatively" young..
 
First thing that I would do is use a grease pencil to mark your glasses at the point where you are looking through the lens, when you are in shooting position, to make sure that it is no where near the transition. I would also make sure that I did all of my scope adjustments, eyepiece and side or front focus looking through that part of the lens. Just out of curiosity, do you have peak target sharpness and absolutely no parallax during those few seconds before your view blurs? BTW I am 70 and although I wear conventional bifocals and am moderately nearsighted I have never had the sort of issue that you describe.
 
ShootDots said:
I have had this situation for quite awhile now. In 2009 I had LASIK and my eyes were actually better than 20/20. But the muscles in my eyes are still old! It is muscle fatigue that causes the blurriness. The brighter the sunlight, where heat waves become bad, the strain to "see thru" them exacerbates the "work" your eyes have to do, thus hastening the fatigue and ergo the blurriness! Age has A LOT to do with it. However, having poor eyesight for a long time will do it too, even if you're "relatively" young..
Click to expand...
I agree with ShootDots. I had LASIK in 1998(best thing I ever did)and my eyes get blurry. If I take Ibuprofen or something like that my eyes will blur. Sometimes they are blurry and don't clear up and sometimes they do. I try eye drops but they don't help much. I figure I will just have to live with it. One of the many joys of getting old I'm not too overjoyed about. The older I get the many joys hurt more. Almost 60 in a few months.
 
I'm of a similar age to you and wear contact lenses. For some time, I thought there were specks on my contacts, and I always tried to use a fresh pair for a match. However, I noticed over time that even fresh lenses didn't make the issue disappear. Turns out, I probably have what are known as "floaters", which are usually caused by small fragments of a protein known as collagen in the gel/fluid at the back of your eye. Generally, if I blink a few times and.or rub my eye, the floating spots will move out to the periphery for a short while and I can continue firing before have to repeat the procedure. Floaters are common in the aging process and you may have reached the age where you're really noticing them.

https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/benign-eye-floaters#1
 
Are you shooting with two eyes open or closing the off eye tight? I shoot with both 79 year old eyes open and do not have this problem. I can’t be 79 years old but my eyes are.
 
I have a few small and one large floater in my right eye. Of course it will settle right in my focus point. I have to roll my eye around and reaquire aim many times. Gives me a few seconds of clear vision before it settles there again.
The joys of getting old!
 
I have the same issue . I am diabetic and have Wet Macular Degeneration ,just throwing that out there . Bright conditions mess with me bad ,mirage to a lesser extent but still makes things tough . I close my eyes for a few seconds before getting in the scope ,once I am in the scope I get the shot off as soon as I can .

I hope it's just your scope,good luck to you with this issue...don't let it keep you from having fun.
 
Zeta7 said:
I might answer my own question, fatigue. I participate in a 600yrd match with a Rem 700 / Votrex 5-25 PST II and use a barrel heat diffuser. I shoot three strings of 20 rounds. I’ll get into the scope and the reticles and target-X are crystal clear and after a few seconds the target gets blurry. I’ll come out of the scope and try to rest my eyes for a few minutes, then go back in the scope. Same thing, blurry after a few seconds. I’ve considered the mirage and barrel heat, but I just don’t understand how the X can be clear for the first few moments. I should also mention I wear seamless bifocal regular and sun glasses. Thx for the help — Dougie
Click to expand...
I was having the same problem and sent the scope back to factory and they said no problems with it but they sent me new scope anyway! new scope same problem so I had some young fiends try it out and they had same problems. if you look at paper target to long the black dot on them would go away and then the scope would get fuzzy on outside edges? I went and got a sightron 6x24x50 and problems gone. I can look through this scope all day and never have problems! also there new zero stop is to die for! the best I have ever seen.
 
You can get the floaters removed......... but I don't recommend the surgery, about the same as having a retina fixed. I would try single lens glasses and try to shoot with both eyes open. Been told that when you close one eye you cut your vision by 60%. I sometimes see 2 verticle crosshairs, the horizontal one remains just one. My Mother was in her 90's and would tell me that her eyes weren't quite as good from day to day, I used to placate her. I am now 80 and Zelda was right....again.

But, stay out there and keep doing it!

Bill
 
Another thing to consider, I am 65 and age is settling in. As such, my right eyelid has started to droop ever so slightly. As I get tired, the eyelid droops slightly more minuscule increments. This brings eyelashes into the very edge of my sightline and causes blurring at times. I can raise my vision-line minutely to solve this by tilting my head up. Depending on your cheek-weld and lean/orientation to the scope this could be an issue. Additionally, I borrowed (she lost these somewhere ... LOL) her eyelash curlers and curl the right eyelash at the range before firing a string to help prevent interference. She bought new curlers so a win-win.
 
I also had that problem two years ago at a Bob White match and thought it was the scope. The scope went back to Nighforce who checked it out, said it was fine, but also replaced it. Now when it happens I try to rest my eye, but that doesn't always work. Part of it seems to be that I have a hard time shooting with two eyes open and if I strain to keep one eye shut, it makes it worse. I tried an eye patch which helped, but impossible to blink open to see the flags. I am hoping my slight cataract in each eye finally get large enough for insurance to pay for the lens replacement, or I may just have to pay for it myself.

Bob
 
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