I was a right hand right eye dominant shooter most my life. A few years ago I was diagnosed with a disease in my right eye. I've been learning to compensate for it kinda on my own. What are some people's experiences with this and your tips? I'm still using my right side to draw and have been kinda crossed shooting.
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Changing sides
- Thread starter siglady24
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I have had Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) in my Right eye since age 5 - Glasses with a Patch (not the cool Pirate kind) ... no Improvement --
I shoot Right Handed - Left Eye this puts alot of rounds on the Left side of the Target - still learning to compensate - mostly by shooting further Right on Targets - I am sure there are Better ways - but so far it works for me
I shoot Right Handed - Left Eye this puts alot of rounds on the Left side of the Target - still learning to compensate - mostly by shooting further Right on Targets - I am sure there are Better ways - but so far it works for me
Shooting with a pistol, doesn't seem to be much difference. At least in my opinion.
The dominant eye will line up with the sight.
The hands will handle the gun functions.
Now a rifle... that's a bit different.
There's a bit of info on the web, probably can't put it all here.
Basically advice seems to be, learn to shoot with the other eye, or learn to shoot with the other hand.
Though I guess a little thought about it helps also.
A little background.
I was teaching people to shoot, when I became aware of 'cross eye dominant'.
So, I did research to help me teach better.
Then, I decided I'd better practice, because you can't teach it, if you can't do it. At least I don't think so.
Anyway, I was right handed, right eye dominant.
I learned to switch to left hand, and shoot left eye.
At first, I'd close the right eye to force focus.
Then it became a bit more easier to do.
Though I do find that a 'long blink' helps me switch.
And it was a good thing.
I suffered a stroke in the right eye, causing the loss of half my vision in my right eye.
Basically, the top half of the eye is like looking through muddy water.
If I hold up my hand in front, I can see the shape, but I can't tell anything about my fingers, just that some are there.
Or if I look at 5 lights, I just see a blob of light.
Now I'm in a weird position.
Enough time has gone by, that my brain has actually switched to left eye dominant.
So, I can speak from experience.
When I shoot pistol, I shoot right handed.
The only difference is my left eye naturally lines up the sights, instead of the right.
Shooting a rifle... that's DIFFERENT.
I naturally shoot right handed. Been doing it for 5 decades.
But when I line up the sights, I BLINK to get the right eye to focus on the sight instead of left eye.
It's not a real long blink. But enough that my eyes reevaluate what's in front of them, and the right eye picks up the sight.
Kind of funny. Because the gunshot makes it go back to the left eye, and the sight goes out of focus.
So I blink again.
Or... close my left eye. Which I've spent all this time shooting with both eyes open.
Sigh.
The problem is, I can pick any of my guns up and manipulate right handed.
Certain guns, I've been learning left handed.
Not as good as right, BUT I'm learning.
But, many of the guns I am a LOT slower using the left hand.
So..
Anyway.
Now that I've thoroughly confused everyone.
The dominant eye will line up with the sight.
The hands will handle the gun functions.
Now a rifle... that's a bit different.
There's a bit of info on the web, probably can't put it all here.
Basically advice seems to be, learn to shoot with the other eye, or learn to shoot with the other hand.
This is probably the best advise.
Though I guess a little thought about it helps also.
A little background.
I was teaching people to shoot, when I became aware of 'cross eye dominant'.
So, I did research to help me teach better.
Then, I decided I'd better practice, because you can't teach it, if you can't do it. At least I don't think so.
Anyway, I was right handed, right eye dominant.
I learned to switch to left hand, and shoot left eye.
At first, I'd close the right eye to force focus.
Then it became a bit more easier to do.
Though I do find that a 'long blink' helps me switch.
And it was a good thing.
I suffered a stroke in the right eye, causing the loss of half my vision in my right eye.
Basically, the top half of the eye is like looking through muddy water.
If I hold up my hand in front, I can see the shape, but I can't tell anything about my fingers, just that some are there.
Or if I look at 5 lights, I just see a blob of light.
Now I'm in a weird position.
Enough time has gone by, that my brain has actually switched to left eye dominant.
So, I can speak from experience.
When I shoot pistol, I shoot right handed.
The only difference is my left eye naturally lines up the sights, instead of the right.
Shooting a rifle... that's DIFFERENT.
I naturally shoot right handed. Been doing it for 5 decades.
But when I line up the sights, I BLINK to get the right eye to focus on the sight instead of left eye.
It's not a real long blink. But enough that my eyes reevaluate what's in front of them, and the right eye picks up the sight.
Kind of funny. Because the gunshot makes it go back to the left eye, and the sight goes out of focus.
So I blink again.
Or... close my left eye. Which I've spent all this time shooting with both eyes open.
Sigh.
The problem is, I can pick any of my guns up and manipulate right handed.
Certain guns, I've been learning left handed.
Not as good as right, BUT I'm learning.
But, many of the guns I am a LOT slower using the left hand.
So..
Anyway.
Now that I've thoroughly confused everyone.
Sorry to hear about your right eye.
NHT3
Grandmaster
When you point with your right hand you naturally cant your hand and wrist 25 degrees or so to the left.. Don't go gangster but pointing the gun naturally will put in front of your left eye.. The more relaxed you are when shooting the more accurate you can be.
I recommend everyone become familiar with shooting with the offhand.
Not saying you need to be as proficient, but you should be able to manipulate your firearm without everything coming to a stop.
You never know if you lose the ability to lose your main arm/hand in a fight.
As for the eye, well that's probably a bit harder.
Damage to the eye could be more likely to be fatal, the brain being right there.
On the other hand, you could have the eye taken out (at least temporarily) by debris.
I know I'm glad I tried both, before I had problems with my eye.
Not saying you need to be as proficient, but you should be able to manipulate your firearm without everything coming to a stop.
You never know if you lose the ability to lose your main arm/hand in a fight.
As for the eye, well that's probably a bit harder.
Damage to the eye could be more likely to be fatal, the brain being right there.
On the other hand, you could have the eye taken out (at least temporarily) by debris.
I know I'm glad I tried both, before I had problems with my eye.
downrange72
Grandmaster
Well I've always been told I'm messed up and I can't argue. I'm left eye dominant, right hand dominant. Anything that requires aiming, I've done left handed. I wasn't taught this, it just happened (wish I would have learned to hita baseball left handed)
That being said. I definitely shoot a lot better closing my right eye when shooting weak handed. Also, I'm noticing that I'm starting to squint the right eye more as I shoot in general. I know there could he a 10 day argument on shooting with both eyes open or closing one eye. But as far as what works for me, closing my lazy seems to tighten things up, especially with the weak hand shooting
(I just got a new RX from eye doctor, we will see if that changes the "squint.")
That being said. I definitely shoot a lot better closing my right eye when shooting weak handed. Also, I'm noticing that I'm starting to squint the right eye more as I shoot in general. I know there could he a 10 day argument on shooting with both eyes open or closing one eye. But as far as what works for me, closing my lazy seems to tighten things up, especially with the weak hand shooting
(I just got a new RX from eye doctor, we will see if that changes the "squint.")
From seeing this opposite eye dominance (which is sort of the OPs case by a sudden eye issue) from working with a ton of agency and private sector firearms classes I will advise this.
With a handgun DON’T try and change hands for only an eye issue. You can simply turn your head to the right. I know of a couple trainers that are former DELTA troops that are right hand but left eye dominant and shoot handguns right handed but turn their heads slightly but they shoot eiflwa left handed. Now if it’s good enough for that caliber folks is mere earth people should be ok.
When I taught a few classes at FLETC the “practice” was to make shooters change hands to match their eyes. In most cases that caused an issue because most staff don’t shoot enough to get it down and when they take that once or twice a year test aka qual they do horrible and have to reshoot. Usually caused by doing something dominant handed for 25 years and now you want to make the other a primary when they are not Range rats! Just have never seen good results.
That said if your a serious shooter you might have better results and some is us that do practice more can pull it off but we have put in the time. I also recommend practicing with the off hand as one might find a need to use the off hand for a while if their dominant hand needs surgery or is injured. That is a lot more likely than a gunshot injury to it!
With a handgun DON’T try and change hands for only an eye issue. You can simply turn your head to the right. I know of a couple trainers that are former DELTA troops that are right hand but left eye dominant and shoot handguns right handed but turn their heads slightly but they shoot eiflwa left handed. Now if it’s good enough for that caliber folks is mere earth people should be ok.
When I taught a few classes at FLETC the “practice” was to make shooters change hands to match their eyes. In most cases that caused an issue because most staff don’t shoot enough to get it down and when they take that once or twice a year test aka qual they do horrible and have to reshoot. Usually caused by doing something dominant handed for 25 years and now you want to make the other a primary when they are not Range rats! Just have never seen good results.
That said if your a serious shooter you might have better results and some is us that do practice more can pull it off but we have put in the time. I also recommend practicing with the off hand as one might find a need to use the off hand for a while if their dominant hand needs surgery or is injured. That is a lot more likely than a gunshot injury to it!
I don't disagree with you. I found it very interesting when I first heard that Bill Rogers of the Elite Rogers Shooting School recommended new shooters to use whichever hand coincided with their dominant eye.
I get it. I’m just sharing what I have seen. Of course if someone drops down the $$ for a Bill Rodgers class (most any serious classes beyond a basic one) I’m guessing they aren’t the average agency officer or gun owner so they could adapt!
I’m just asking when did you get taught that?
Both eyes are common now. To get here thogh I saw an evolution if you will. In the mid 1980’s it was close one eye focus with one. The both eyes for me wasn’t until you fast forward to the RDS on rifles a decade or more later. Then now with the RDS on handguns it has crossed over to iron sighted handguns.
I’d say for a pure accuracy standpoint one eye is still somewhat used by many. Below is Randi Rodgers from Ruger an accomplished competitor when she was at Glock around 2008 before RDS exploded on handguns.
I truly feel it’s an evolution and I also don’t believe one way fits everyone.
Attachments
I was taught to shoot in the late 60's and early 70's by my gfather and father who were both Across The Course and Bullseye shooters. I taught the same to both of my sons.
Interesting. Of course for me starting in the Military and an agency afterwards they sort of pick stuff up and are usually behind in things (that whole thumbs forward/high thumbs grip is one example picked up from the competition side)
During my years as a Grunt, I qualed right handed. It was a quickly learned life lesson.
Lefty with a pistol but righty with a rifle. Right eye dominate.
Fortunately I have no vision anomalies and can keep both eyes open and on target.
Not sure how I would do if I had to change, I wouldn't enjoy making the transition.
Fortunately I have no vision anomalies and can keep both eyes open and on target.
Not sure how I would do if I had to change, I wouldn't enjoy making the transition.
