entropic Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 So I'm almost 4 years into shooting USPSA and I still can't get front sight focus with both eyes wide open. I either use a piece of frosted tape over my weak eye, or use a half squint in my weak eye to get rid of the ghost. Usually I just use the tape though. Some people say that it is a skill that takes time to learn, but I have played with it quite a bit and can't get it. When I do any of the dominant eye/weak eye tests, it always seems that I really don't have a dominant eye...they're both fairly even. Here's my question: Doesn't it make sense that unless one's weak eye is significantly weaker, there will always be a ghost? After all, isn't that one of the reasons we have two eyes: to see around things (in this case a rear sight). ...or am I missing something? Thanks for the help, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Doesn't it make sense that unless one's weak eye is significantly weaker, there will always be a ghost? After all, isn't that one of the reasons we have two eyes: to see around things (in this case a rear sight). ...or am I missing something? Thanks for the help, Dave There will always be a ghost, but you can train yourself to focus on the "correct" set of sights and ignore the other. Maybe it's more difficult because both your eyes are equally strong, so you're seeing both sets of sights equally well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entropic Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) I'm not sure if it's more difficult or completely impossible. The only way I can get any sight resolution with both eyes open is to focus beyond the front sight, or even on the target. The sight picture I get from this isn't good enough for any precise aiming. Although it does work well enough at close range, and even feels fast, I really never use that technique. Edited May 7, 2012 by entropic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Doesn't it make sense that unless one's weak eye is significantly weaker, there will always be a ghost? After all, isn't that one of the reasons we have two eyes: to see around things (in this case a rear sight). ...or am I missing something? Thanks for the help, Dave There will always be a ghost, but you can train yourself to focus on the "correct" set of sights and ignore the other. Maybe it's more difficult because both your eyes are equally strong, so you're seeing both sets of sights equally well. I agree. Both my eyes are equally strong, but with perseverance, I did the "scotch tape" thing, almost everyday, every hour in our house and every range session. Now I can easily focus on my front sight with both eyes open and can shoot as far as 25m, the hard work really pays off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) I agree. Both my eyes are equally strong, but with perseverance, I did the "scotch tape" thing, almost everyday, every hour in our house and every range session. Now I can easily focus on my front sight with both eyes open and can shoot as far as 25m, the hard work really pays off +1 for tape and hard work... Having said that, it seems a lot of folks do just fine shooting with one eye squinted or closed. Don't let it hold you back. There's a thread (just a few lines down) titled "Is learning to shoot with both eyes open necessary?" Lots of good info there. Good luck and keep at it! Edited May 7, 2012 by mudman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackey Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 im similar in that my eyes arent much if any more dominant than the other. i find winking or squinting for a split second helps focusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleL Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Focus and vision is such a strange topic. It's like describing a color to a man born blind. I'm super new and just realizing how wickedly mental shooting a handgun well can be. Sight picture then target focus then sight focus, squint if I have to, then pop my eye wide open and hold the sight focus as long as I can with both eyes. Then back to target focus, sight focus, squint .... On and on and on. It's like weightlifting but for your eyeball. I bet this sounds nut house crazy, but it seems to be the only thing helping me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zatchmo Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I had this exact same issue. I used the tape thing at matches, and tried to go without it in practice to figure it out. I got good enough to be able to keep both eyes wide open on single targets, but arrays got me every time. It never failed, I'd drill 2 alphas right into the no shoot, because I'd be looking at the ghost instead of the real target. Ultimately, I bought an open gun. Target focus just works better for me. I know it's kind of like giving up, but I was getting so frustrated, I was ready to quit entirely. Now I have a whole 'nother set of problems... trying to keep up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 When I shoot I slightly close my left eye so I can only see peripherally through it. So technically its "open" but not much. If I have both eyes wide open I get a double vision situation. I think that if you use tape or use other mechanical ways of blocking off your non-dominant eye you lose quite a bit in being able to quickly find the next target or track moving objects in your peripheral vision. We use both of our eyes quite a bit to proper gauge depth perception of the things we look at. When you block one eye off it makes it harder to gauge how far away things are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 My formula is, if targets (paper) are 15m farther especially with no shoots, I shoot with one eye closed for better accuracy. The weird thing is I can easily shoot 8" plates as far as 20m with both eyes open Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg1005 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 When I shoot I slightly close my left eye so I can only see peripherally through it. So technically its "open" but not much. If I have both eyes wide open I get a double vision situation. I think that if you use tape or use other mechanical ways of blocking off your non-dominant eye you lose quite a bit in being able to quickly find the next target or track moving objects in your peripheral vision. We use both of our eyes quite a bit to proper gauge depth perception of the things we look at. When you block one eye off it makes it harder to gauge how far away things are. This is exactly what I do... I personally don't see the point of trying to aim with both eyes open. I have never had a problem getting front sight focus by slightly squinting my weak eye. I can still see everything around me as I am not closing the eye entirely. I have heard people say it makes aiming faster, especially at longer distances... 9/10 times what "takes time" for me at long distances is getting my sights on the scoring zone. Not finding them/getting sharp front post picture. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entropic Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 My formula is, if targets (paper) are 15m farther especially with no shoots, I shoot with one eye closed for better accuracy. The weird thing is I can easily shoot 8" plates as far as 20m with both eyes open This actually works for me as well. I think I may start trying it at local matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 My formula is, if targets (paper) are 15m farther especially with no shoots, I shoot with one eye closed for better accuracy. The weird thing is I can easily shoot 8" plates as far as 20m with both eyes open This actually works for me as well. I think I may start trying it at local matches. Nice. I've actually applied that formula on a match last Dec, the targets consists of 3 cluster of boards with a no shoot on the middle @ 18m and 2 poppers @ 20m on both sides of the bay. I first engage the papers with one eye closed and the poppers with both eyes open. I called all my shots well, I had no D's, miss or no shoot and just 2 C's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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