Stereoscopic vision questions

[Lebowski]

Hello all,

The situation now is that I've been shooting open class for a year and I've done fairly well, but recently I started really look in to how I use that red dot sight, and I've been using it wrong. Tried the right way, but couldn't do it right, started searching and ended up at stereoscopic vision tests at local eye specialist. Results were according to couple of tests that I completely lack stereoscopic vision, so I can't use that red dot like it is supposed to be used.

I've been shooting both eyes open, but looking through the lens with right eye and left eye is pretty much doing nothing. (used iron sights the same way for years) So if I tape a piece of a cardboard in front of the lens I see the dot and cardboard, no target. When I try (with cardboard on lens) "looking the target with both eyes" I see the dot on target, but it's not at the same spot where the barrel is really going, it's always a bit right. I was told, this is cause of the lack of stereoscopic vision, and can't be fixed. Anyhow according to my optician there must be some kind of stereoscopic vision in progress because I can see the dot on top of the target even though there is piece of a cardboard in front of red dot lens. Could there be possibility to train my self to use that red dot like it is supposed to be used (feels really difficult at the moment), or is this really a thing that we can't teach our brains to do?

Also is stereoscopic vision needed the same way when using iron sights as they are with red dot?

Thank you for reading and I would really appreciate if you could share your thoughts and knowledge.

[Youngeyes]

Which tests showed you lack stereoscopic vision? There are many binocular vision issues that would cause this. This should be picked up during an eye examination. If you know the diagnosis then I can give you a better idea of the solution. Welcome to the forums.

[Lebowski]

I don't know the names of those tests, there were two. First was so that there were three lines on the wall. I watched them through some kind of machine, my left eye saw only two of the lowest and my right eye saw two of the highest, and I should have seen all three at the same time, couldn't see them. I saw two lowest and third line was blurry and not in correct height.

Second test was looking at sets of three rings while wearing some gray glasses, one of those rings in each sets should have "jumped" up, couldn't see that...

Anyhow I tried dry firing card board in front of my dot lens and I'm capable to see that dot on top of the target, but it's in a bit wrong spot, to the right always. I took that piece of cardboard off and aimed the same way as I did with cardboard assembled, now I saw two A letters of targets A-zone. This got my optician thinking I could have some minor strabismus that could be causing this problem. So I have full eye examination booked for next friday. Hopefully I will know better after that.

[bikerburgess]

I don't think I understand the problem. When you shoot normally (both eyes open nothing covered) are you having problems seeing the dot on the target? I don't think shooting with both eyes open means you need to be seeing equally with both having both open just let's you see more

[Lebowski]

There: exercise No. 2, that I can't do correctly.

http://www.aimpoint.com/handling/improve-your-shooting/

Edited October 18, 2014 by Lebowski

[B45C22]

There is no exercise 2. Link just goes to aimpoint's hime page.

[Lebowski]

Looks like link doesn't work when opened in mobile mode, with desktop it works fine. I couldn't even find that same page from mobile mode.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Lebowski

[benos]

I'm not sure exactly what the problem is either... But maybe this will help... When I shot a dot sight, being strongly cross-dominant, I had to tape the lens on my non-aiming eye. So my aiming eye was just looking straight through the scope at the target. And the dot was right were it was "supposed to be."

[billm67]

Most people have a dominant eye. Often it is because their vision in one eye is better than the other. When both eyes are roughly equal...it causes problems because you will see double or your eyes will fight back and forth for dominance. I have had this issue for years and have finally gave up on shooting with both eyes open.

[Lebowski]

Just so if anyone else is having similar difficulties, I got this figured out. My optician sent me to a regular doctor, who sent me to a strabismus specialist, who found out that I got a massive amount of hidden strabismus, which shows up when I'm tired or bring something in front of my another eye (Red Dot).

Now for a few months I'm wearing Fresnel's film attached to my eyeglasses left lens, which refracts everything in an angle to my left eye, so it can stay in it's natural position.

In a few months I have a control visit where they look If I need even more correction and finally some time during next summer I'm gonna have an eye surgery where they loose outside muscle that moves an eyeball and tightens the inner one. If it were a smaller amount of strabismus it could be corrected with proper eyeglasses.

Now already with this Fresnel's film I can see targets as one. Can't really tell you guys how happy I am!

[newmexicocrawler]

I'm not sure exactly what the problem is either... But maybe this will help... When I shot a dot sight, being strongly cross-dominant, I had to tape the lens on my non-aiming eye. So my aiming eye was just looking straight through the scope at the target. And the dot was right were it was "supposed to be."

When I first started shooting I saw people doing this and finally had to ask one....made since after he told me

[Youngeyes]

Good luck. The fresnel is a prism which shifts an image. It puts the image where your eye is turned so the brain thinks it's seeing one image. Be careful that you don't close one eye. If you do, the image shift will throw you off. I dislike those stick on prisms because they are foggy.I'd have your optician make a lens with prism already in the lens. Much clearer.

[Lebowski]

I'd love to have my optician make me lenses with prism, but unfortunately that is way too expensive for a student for short time period of use. Strabismus doctor told me that I shouldn't need any prism corrections after that surgery. Fresnel definitely felt foggy and confusing for a couple of first days, but now when I've got used to it it's not actually that bad.

[Graham Smith]

I don't know if this relates or not, but the last time I had to get an eye test at the DMV, they were using a machine that drove me nuts. It was some kind of cross vision thing and for one part of the test, it was like one side just wasn't there. I told the clerk about this and she said it happens with some people and that I passed because I got 2 out of 3 correct.

[Youngeyes]

It does relate. They use polarized lenses. One eye sees half the chart and one eye see the other. It's a way to test both eye's acuity at the same time. If you have a binocular vision issue you will only see one side. It also means you wouldn't do well in a 3D movie. It also means DMV is doing their normal crap for brains job and passing someone they shouldn't have.