also: えんがんきょう
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.
In Edo-period documents, there are examples where 遠眼鏡 is recorded as spectacles for far-sightedness.
Historical term for telescope; now almost entirely replaced by 望遠鏡. Still encountered in older texts.
In the early Meiji period, 遠眼鏡 was used for astronomical observation.
Common word for glasses; 遠眼鏡 specifically referred to far-sightedness glasses, now obsolete.
Historical kanji spelling; now largely replaced by 望遠鏡 for telescope and 眼鏡 for glasses.
Alternate on'yomi reading; rare and mostly historical.
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.