Not The Binoculars Just My Eyes
I'm having way too much fun with my phone. Non Birding Bill finally figured out how to get my phone to play some of my favorite bird calls as my ring tones. The other day I was talking to one of the vets in the clinic at The Raptor Center when I heard a bird screaming. "You have a goshawk in clinic?" I asked, excited. "No." said the vet and then I realized it was my phone! It also does red-tailed, hawk, Baird's sparrow, western meadowlark, pileated woodpecker, veery, wood thrush, gadwall, and bobolink--sweet.
In the last year or so, I noticed that I could not get my eyes to focus the same through my binoculars, no matter how I adjusted the diopter. I sent them in to Swarovski to have them realigned and there wasn't any change when I looked through them. I also noticed lately that my left eye wasn't focusing the same as my right eye--especially when reading subtitles on movies. I've never worn glasses or seemed to need them but made an appointment with an eye doctor--turns out I have astigmatism. I asked the doctor why I've never noticed before and he didn't really have an answer. But I have glasses coming and I chuckled today when I looked at my receipt for them. It read "Bebe Schatzie Grape Suzette." That looks more like I ordered a stripper instead of a pair of glasses.
So, Bill said that I should have used the following video of snow geese in an earlier post:
In the last year or so, I noticed that I could not get my eyes to focus the same through my binoculars, no matter how I adjusted the diopter. I sent them in to Swarovski to have them realigned and there wasn't any change when I looked through them. I also noticed lately that my left eye wasn't focusing the same as my right eye--especially when reading subtitles on movies. I've never worn glasses or seemed to need them but made an appointment with an eye doctor--turns out I have astigmatism. I asked the doctor why I've never noticed before and he didn't really have an answer. But I have glasses coming and I chuckled today when I looked at my receipt for them. It read "Bebe Schatzie Grape Suzette." That looks more like I ordered a stripper instead of a pair of glasses.
So, Bill said that I should have used the following video of snow geese in an earlier post:
posted by birdchick at 12:18 PM
10 Comments:
I was just a bit over 40 when my 20-20 vision bit the dust. It happened overnight. One day I could read the answer keys in my teacher's manuals and the next day it was all a blur. Unfortunately I was on a small atoll half-way between Hawaii and Australia and couldn't get any help until my next trip into Honolulu. I carried around a magnifying glass like an old geezer.
I'm not going to call you an old geezer, Bird Chick, because you're the same age as my son. What would that say about me? :-)
Now, the eye relief specs of opticals are going to be more important to you. I usually take my glasses off to use my camera or spotting scope. With my glasses it feels like I'm looking through a tunnel.Regardless, you'll adjust.
I got a "sorry, this video is no longer available"
Sorry about your eyes.
It should be up now. I reloaded the video through blogger instead of you tube. I don't know what's up with you tube, I've tried loading video for the last 48 hours and it keeps failing.
It should be up now. If you still get that message, try hitting refresh.
I picked up my first pair of glasses late last year, just after my 30th birthday. At this stage, it's still a love-hate relationship. When I wear them, the world becomes so amazingly sharp and crisp. Details, colours, everything stands out more and I'm sure that will aid in detecting skulking little birds.
However, using them WITH binoculars still does not work well for me. I feel reluctant to pres my bin lenses against my glasses, and even then there is all this light coming in from the side because of the gap between glasses and my eyes.
Living in Australia necessitates wearing sunglasses nearly every daylight hour except close to sunset and sunrise, and that brings an extra dilemma: which glasses to wear. I'm looking at buying a good pair of wrap-around prescription sunglasses now. Not sure yet if what I want exists but I'm prepared to pay good money for them if I do. After all, they would be birdwatching equipment.
Good luck getting to know your glasses and making them part of your birding life. The world does become a whole lot brighter and the first week you'll feel like your eyes have acquired a zoom function.
Migratory Birdgirl
Western Australia
That name is incredible!
Either a stripper of a far too uncomfortable to eat dessert.
Bad thing with glasses in cold weather is if you press too much into your camera (or your digiscope) the heat of your eyes can make them fog over...
When I was selecting my frames, I muttered to myself that I wished I brought my binoculars to test out how they would work together. The woman helping me said that her father was a big birder and just raises he glasses and puts the binos to his eyes. A good pair of binos should have adjustable eye relief cups so you can use them without having to move your glasses.
Of course, I realize it's easy for me to spout that having never worn glasses. I'll do a blog entry on what it's like with the eye relief when I get my little Schatzies...
NBB told me I should get contacts but this is just a whole new world to me, I want to take it one step at a time, I've never had to deal with eye wear before. I've never paid more than $9 for a pair of sunglasses because I figured I would lose or break them. Let me start with glasses, then see if I'm ready for contacts and all the accessories (goodness knows I travel with enough stuff right now). Maybe I'll look into Lasik?
At Peregrinations, http://marchlords.com/birdblog/
Jim has made available a pergrine falcon ringtone (scroll down to 2/7/08 entry). He also has instructions on how to download the file and get it on to your phone.
Oh yeah, you should also go to the link and look at his pictures of Mariah and Kaver, the falcons that have taken up residence at Kodak's headquarters. He took some unbelievable shots when he was doing some maintenance on the falcon cams.
Ok, what is your phone? I had an old samsung that had a bird call ring tone, so when that bit the dust, i insisted on a new samsung...that did not come with the ring tone. bleah. mine currently barks at me because i'm a "dogchick" almost the way you are a birdchick. :-)
and astigmatism? eh, had it since grade 1; current prescription? too far off the charts for the docs to even tell; lasik? nope, my corneas aren't thick enough.
The contacts for astygmatia are now very good and very supple (they used to be hard things when I started wearing them). Not sure the condition can be lasered out, actually. That would be good news since I've been wearing glasses since the age of five...
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