I am one of those that is severely dominant in one eye over the other, to the point where I literally can't close my left eye independtly of my right (but I can close my right independently). This is why I shoot left-handed with long guns. I was wondering if anyone had any techniques (other than the one used in the movie Firebirds) for training oneself to use the other eye.
How to close one eye?
- Thread starter Skribs
- Start date
- Status
Ehtereon11B
internet infantryman
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2012
- Messages
- 983
I used to think these were really stupid they would work in your situation. I don't see them anymore on the website I found them on but they are shooting classes with covers to go over either eye. You could try something like that.
I ran into someone with a similar problem in the military who taught himself to shoot with both eyes open which took quite a bit of practice when using a magnifying scope.
I ran into someone with a similar problem in the military who taught himself to shoot with both eyes open which took quite a bit of practice when using a magnifying scope.
Arbor
Member
I shoot with both eyes open. Probably pretty tough to do if you're trying to shoot with your non-dominant eye though.
Panzerschwein
member
Tabasco. One drop in the troublesome eye should do it.
JK really I bet all it take is practice and getting used to it. Try and keep one eye squeezed shut and then work on keeping the other one relaxed and open. It used to be hard for me but it's easy now!
JK really I bet all it take is practice and getting used to it. Try and keep one eye squeezed shut and then work on keeping the other one relaxed and open. It used to be hard for me but it's easy now!
Skribs , i was a instructor in our military here , my way of training someone with your hassle was a pair of shooting classes and a piece of paper inside the off site eye and curled inwards , this annoiance is just that a annoyance buit will use your bodies own defense switch to close that one eye for you m,
it take some weeks of every day , but it works and you can check with Aussie troops who have seen that used on one of their unfortunate fellows with your issue
its not uncommon , but by tricking your body to its defensive mode that eye will close and will learn to close when you say so , ask your doc ! this is simple reactive training
Good luck with it , wish i had a simpler solution for you
cheers
it take some weeks of every day , but it works and you can check with Aussie troops who have seen that used on one of their unfortunate fellows with your issue
its not uncommon , but by tricking your body to its defensive mode that eye will close and will learn to close when you say so , ask your doc ! this is simple reactive training
Good luck with it , wish i had a simpler solution for you
cheers
Ramone
Member
Had a GF with the same problem.
a ten year old neighbor at the range with us one day solved it.
"How 'bout you close both eyes, then open one?"
Damned if it didn't work- by trying it that way, she was able to pick it up with a little practice.
a ten year old neighbor at the range with us one day solved it.
"How 'bout you close both eyes, then open one?"
Damned if it didn't work- by trying it that way, she was able to pick it up with a little practice.
dwstone1227
Member
Skribs - my wife is a medical professional. (Insay this because when she medically reviews something she is thorough). She has the same problem. She cannot close her left eye. She never has been able to close one eye and has done some background review on this issue. What she learned is that there is a percentage of people who cannot close one eye. It is inherited. She is not a frequent shooter, but when she does, she keeps both eyes open. She has too since she absolutely cannot close her left eye.
GGriff
Member
I am slightly left eye dominant. Not nearly to the point it sounds like you are. I ran across an instructional video that dealt with the subject by an instructor who suggested keeping both eyes open while shooting. He pointed out that if you turn your head slightly to the right so the left eye lines up closer to the centerline of your body, it helps quite a bit. I have tried it and it does help, especially if you want to keep both eyes open to maintain as much peripheral vision as possible.
Jenrick
Member
Why do you want to train yourself to use your non-dominate eye? Are you primarily focused on handgun shooting? That's not a difficult fix.
-Jenrick
-Jenrick
Skylerbone
Member
I shoot both eyes open nearly all the time and was very cross dominant at a young age. As I started shooting more trap I would simply place a small piece of Scotch Magic Tape (the frosted kind) over the left lens of my shooting glasses. It takes time but I can comfortably shoot with higher magnification without tape these days or comfortably close my left eye without squinting.
I did hear about an experiment once, the details of which I am sure to be wrong on, but subjects watched television with the picture inverted over a period of time (weeks perhaps). Near the conclusion of the testing, the picture was righted and subjects perceived the now correct image to be upside down. Guess what I'm saying is the mind can overcome obstacles with enough reinforcement.
Try the tape thing with reading or television viewing a few hours a day, might help.
I did hear about an experiment once, the details of which I am sure to be wrong on, but subjects watched television with the picture inverted over a period of time (weeks perhaps). Near the conclusion of the testing, the picture was righted and subjects perceived the now correct image to be upside down. Guess what I'm saying is the mind can overcome obstacles with enough reinforcement.
Try the tape thing with reading or television viewing a few hours a day, might help.
Deer_Freak
Member.
I have lazy eye. Yet even with a scope I shoot with both eyes open. My lazy eye might not have great vision but with it closed I my shooting goes downhill. I suspect the OP might have the same issues.
Stevie-Ray
Member
Cross-dominant here. My right eye automatically closes when I raise a pistol. No problems, but I do realize what I am missing-depth perception. I am going to try the translucent stickers on my glasses. It will become even more important in shooting games, so I want to start practicing soon.
Bobson
Member
This may sound lame but I was the same way. When I was around ten, I taught myself to wink with my nondominant, so I could flicker my blink between left and right.
I couldn't close my right eye alone. So I closed both eyes, held my right eye shut with my hand, and opened my eyes. My right eye stayed closed and after a few weeks, I learned to operate the muscle by itself. It worked. Now I can wink with either eye - no problem. Hope you figure it out man.
Put a strip of transparent tape on your safety glasses so that it obstructs the vision of the eye you wish to keep from interfering.
This method will keep your eye from interfering but won't affect the amount of light into the eye. That's good because both of your pupils tend to react together, and if you put a patch over one eye that keeps out the light, the other eye's pupil will tend to open up. That will reduce your depth of focus and make shooting a little bit harder.
This method will keep your eye from interfering but won't affect the amount of light into the eye. That's good because both of your pupils tend to react together, and if you put a patch over one eye that keeps out the light, the other eye's pupil will tend to open up. That will reduce your depth of focus and make shooting a little bit harder.
Get a translucent white blinder to put over your non-dominate eye. The white shade and slight amount of light coming through the blinder helps your vision in the other eye.
http://www.bullseyegear.com/bullseyepistol/product.php?productid=67&cat=2&page=1
http://www.bullseyegear.com/bullseyepistol/product.php?productid=67&cat=2&page=1
Sav .250
Member
Question . Would wearing a patch over your eye be of any help?
A patch would help but it would be better if the "patch" was transluscent so that light is still getting to the eye rather than blocking it off. You just need to keep the eye from being able to resolve an image but still get some light. I have taught people to shoot with both eyes open (mostly handguns) and while it is difficult at first eventually the brain learns to accept what is a new concept for it - seeing two separate images without trying te resolve them into one single image so that it can estimate depth perception as it "evolved" to do over time. I taught myself to shoot with both eyes open many years ago and it is very useful but your brain has to relax and become used to seeing the sights in alignment AND looking down the side of the barrel/slide at the same time.
so you are saying that using one eye is not the normal thing to do?
i have always used both eyes open and dont see two images
even with scopes if i use 5 inch relief like nikons i have both eyes open
less relief i have to close one eye
thats the reason i preffer the nikons i use them same as red dots
didnt know both eyes open was something you had to learn since i always do it like that
RustHunter87
Member
I used the tape method for a while, it worked quite well for me, Im cross dominant and keep trying to use my left eye.
you just get a pair of safeties and put a bit of tape on over the part you look threw with the eye your trying not to use
Than when you put the glasses on you wont have a choice what eye you use, because you wont be able to see the sights with one, that is if the tape is in the right spot.
Sounds silly and that little bit of tape drove me NUTS, but it broke me of that bad habit in a matter of weeks!
you just get a pair of safeties and put a bit of tape on over the part you look threw with the eye your trying not to use
Than when you put the glasses on you wont have a choice what eye you use, because you wont be able to see the sights with one, that is if the tape is in the right spot.
Sounds silly and that little bit of tape drove me NUTS, but it broke me of that bad habit in a matter of weeks!
Last edited:
In my experience as an NRA instructor most people seem to believe that they "need" to squint one eye closed. If you can train your brain to accept two spearate images it is a better way to shoot, rifle or handgun. Some people just can't do it though.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked