also: えんがんきょう
noun
spectacles for far-sightedness
Obsolete term for glasses used to correct far-sightedness; modern Japanese uses 遠視用眼鏡 or simply 眼鏡.
江戸時代の文献には「遠眼鏡」を遠視用の眼鏡として記した例がある。
In Edo-period documents, there are examples where 遠眼鏡 is recorded as spectacles for far-sightedness.
noun
Historical term for telescope; now almost entirely replaced by 望遠鏡. Still encountered in older texts.
明治初期には「遠眼鏡」が天体観測に使われていた。
In the early Meiji period, 遠眼鏡 was used for astronomical observation.
Compound of 遠 (distant) and 眼鏡 (glasses/mirror), literally 'distant glasses'. The reading とおめがね uses kun'yomi for 遠 and 眼, while えんがんきょう is on'yomi. The term fell out of use as 望遠鏡 and 眼鏡 became standard.