Eye dominance

[miller.lyte]

I read the thread below about eye dominance but it didn't quite answer my questions. I'm not new to shooting or handling, but eye dominance is still something I can't decide on. A while back when I went to an NRA instructor and we did the eye dominance test, even he was confused with what was going on. Results were just inconsistent.

Ever since I started shooting, I naturally used my left eye to aim for pistols. I still do it without thinking and that's what is comfortable to me. When I shoot rifles, I instinctively want to use my right eye (which is good since I'm right-handed). I didn't realize I was doing it until someone else pointed it out.

Now when I close one eye then open both and focus on the front sight, I just see double and it doesn't center up. I can't seem to easily focus with both eyes regardless of which eye I use to aim first. No matter where I adjust to I can never have both eyes open and see only one front sight.

I will have my ccw in just a few weeks and since using only one eye can be potentially disadvantageous in self-defense scenarios, is there anything I can do to try to force one eye to be dominant? Or should I just go with what I'm used to at this point?

 

[Skribs]

I only use one eye. Even if I can train to shoot with my other eye (I think it was my thread you are referring to, but I could be wrong) I would still just use one eye.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Just pick the eye that you think would be easier. If you're right handed, it will probably be the right eye, and make yourself use that. I am right handed but know for a fact I am left eye dominant. But I have trained myself to use my right eye for shooting, though I always shoot both eyes open, and it's worked out very well.

 

[Ramone]

for some people, Eye Dominance is fairly flexible- they are sorta ambidextrous eyed.

I have drifted from being 'right eyed' to lefty a few times in my life, and managed, with a bit of effort, to drag it back.

If you are having trouble with it, I'd try forcing it- tape on one lens of your shooting glasses seems to be the preferred method, but I just rub a finger along side my nose, a put a smear on the left lens, which for me is less intrusive, but equally effective.

 

[madsend81]

I feel that I am one of those "abidextrous eyed" people. I can use either eye to aim and can teach my self to ignore the 2nd image from whichever eye I don't want. I prefer to use my right eye as I am right handed, but I've shot shotguns from either hand before as well as my rifle. I'm picking up my first handgun next week and am interested to see how that will fair.

I remember doing the eye-dominance test the first time. I held out my hands and made a small opening, but I lost my balance for a minute and my hands moved. That's when I noticed the second image (from my other eye) and I just kept moving my hands back and forth trying to determine which image to use. Neither one seemed unnatural to me and I've just managed to teach myself to ignore the image I don't want to see. It's taken some time to learn that, but like anything, the more you practice the better you'll get at it.

 

[tuj]

Use a blinder or piece of masking tape on your glasses to force your dominate eye to take over. Keep both eyes open.

 

[Jenrick]

I'd go to an optometrist actually, the behavior you describe with both eyes open might be an indicator of a vision problem.

-Jenrick