I'm Confused - Do I Really Have Eye Dominance Problem?

[losangeles]

It seems that eye dominance problem is prevalent but I have to post another thread because I haven't seen my version of the problem.

Whenever I do that popular test --- cupping both hands outright except for a little opening between thumbs and forefingers, focused on a distant object, and bringing my hands to the eyes -- the opening always lands on my left eye. The conclusion is left eye dominance. I'm right handed so that's supposed to be a cross dominance problem.

However, it seems my natural aiming of my right hand is tied to my right eye. If with both eyes open I point my right forefinger on a distant object, I think that's mostly my right eye working properly, not my left. Why? Because with both eyes open pointing at a distant object with right forefinger, it's the same place that's being pointed to with my right eye only (left eye closed) open --- if I closed my right and opened my left, my right finger's point seems to shift over to the right, to an incorrect place.

Because of the last paragraph, I always aim with my right eye. Despite the fact that popular test of bringing your cupped hand to you face shows I should be left eye dominant. Am I wrong for this?

[Clay1]

Hello Los, welcome to the board. In a case like yours you need to try different eye dominance tests besides the one that you originally posted.

Eye dominance has different levels for different people. Some are very strongly one or the other. Some people have such a minor dominance difference that the dominant can actually change depending on circumstances.

Have someone help you with this. Both eyes open, point tip of index finger on right hand at object across the street from where you are. You want an object with some distance from you since this works better than something that is close. With both eyes still open have your assistance cover your left eye. Did the relationship between the tip of the finger and the object change? If yes, you are left eye dominant, if no, you are right eye dominant.

Hope that this helps.

Rick

[Genghis]

Another method I've used is to toss someone a paper towel tube and ask them to look at me through the tube. They'll often bring it to their dominant eye.

This is a less serious issue with pistol shooters, because you can just shift your stance to line the dominant eye up with the sights. Left eye dominant rifle shooters generally need to learn to shoot with the left hand.

[losangeles]

Have someone help you with this. Both eyes open, point tip of index finger on right hand at object across the street from where you are. You want an object with some distance from you since this works better than something that is close. With both eyes still open have your assistance cover your left eye. Did the relationship between the tip of the finger and the object change? If yes, you are left eye dominant, if no, you are right eye dominant.

Rick

Rick, thank you. In that test, the answer is no. The relationship between the tip of the finger and the object didn't change, whereas if I repeated that test by covering the right eye, it will change. Therefore, it seems that in that test, I am right eye dominant.

I guess I feel better about that result because it corroborates what I currently do --- aim with my right eye and shooting right handed.

It's just that it bothers me when I come up with a different conclusion when I do that popular test of cupping your hands focusing on a distant object and bringing it to your face. I'm past my mid-40's now and my eyes have already deteriorated and when my shot goes south after a layoff, I begin to wonder if the eye dominance issue has just surfaced into my shooting.

Edited March 10, 2006 by losangeles

[eric nielsen]

I think you're fine staying with your right eye.

Could be the reason you bring your cupped hands up to your left eye is because of your preferred [natural] body mechanics. As in, the way you like to put one hand over the other, also possible that you prefer to look at things [and face your body toward things] with a small bias towards the left side of your face & body. All this while viewing things with no dominant eye or a mildly dominant right eye.

You might try quartering your right side toward an object like a bullseye shooter would. Then bring up an ordinary pencil with your right hand only & sight on an object with the eraser of the pencil. A pink eraser works nice because you can keep your focus out on the target & still have good idea of where the eraser is - it's the only thing that's pink.

Move from one target to another. Then close each eye & see which one is directing where the eraser should go.

Repeat this holding the pencil in your left hand only & with your left side quartered to the target. You may find that you now use the left eye with the left hand/left body mechanics. This is actually how Eric Grauffel shoots one-handed: right-hand/right-eye, left-hand/left-eye, obviously little or no dominance. I'm a little jealous of that...

Edited March 11, 2006 by eric nielsen

[blackdragon]

Try the same test with your thumbs and fingers in a triangle, But have some one stand in front of you and center their head in the middle. They will tell you which eye they can see!

Ivan

[Loves2Shoot]

OK Ivan, you got me all messed up now with the triangle thing. If I center it in the triangle it is not in the center when I close either eye. It is a bit off to either side. The pointing thing generally works pretty well, I see two fingers I just pick the one on the left and that's my right eye.

Having a shifting dominance can have it's advantage though. I've been experimenting with no tape with limited sights, and it's working ok. On tight shots I close the left eye a bit now, but on the big targets it is like having a new perspective in 3d. It takes way more concentration, and the sight picture isn't as clear and distinct and it is taped so I am not confident in it yet, but it is fun to see something differently for a change.

[blackdragon]

Make the triangle in your lap. Keep both eyes open. Raise your hands and center your friends head in the middle. Both eyes open. Do this at 5yds or so.

Ivan

[Loves2Shoot]

Ok go figure. Left eye with the triangle from the lap, with the tubes and finger I see two that are about as clear so my mind says pick the left one. Maybe I've just been shooting too long and I am left dominant, but my mind refuses to accept it and just picks the left picture. Interesting stuff.

[blackdragon]

The person that you are looking at. Through your triangle will tell you which eye you are seeing them with.

Ivan

[bountyhunter]

It seems that eye dominance problem is prevalent but I have to post another thread because I haven't seen my version of the problem.

Because of the last paragraph, I always aim with my right eye. Despite the fact that popular test of bringing your cupped hand to you face shows I should be left eye dominant. Am I wrong for this?

That is not the definitive test for dominance:

1) Lock both eyes dead on a distant spot.

2) Without changing focus, raise your right hand with index finger pointed out until you are "sighting down" your finger with the eye that it naturally aligns with.

3) If you see a "ghost image" of the hand to the right of the one you are sighting down, you finger is aligned in front of your right eye... and that's the dominant one.

4) If there is a "ghost image" to the left of the sighted image, you are sighting with your left eye.

5) Do the same thing with a gun: look at a distnt target and raise the gun without changing focus so you are "looking through" the blurry sight image. Whichever eye is aligned with the gun is the dominant eye.