Can't shoot with both eyes open

It took me well over two hundred rounds to get the whole "Binden Aiming" thing to work. It helps get rid of "tunnel vision," which, in theory, might save your bacon by identifing another threat your aiming eye missed.
In my experience, it seems to come easier to the "oddball" guys- the right handed, but left eye dominant, and vice-versa, than to "normal" shooters. If you've got the time and inclinanation, you CAN learn to do this... whether it is worth your time... that's up to you.
 
Thanks to all for the replies and for not telling me "do a search!". I tried also searching the forums for answers before posting but nothing came up exactly right.

I think I may have to turn my head a little bit. I tried the arm extended with the thumb up and the only way to get one image is to turn my head to the left just a little bit. I practiced closing my left eye and seeing what the image looked like, then opening it and seeing if I could make my brain see the right thing. It wasn't until I turned my head a little that it all came together.

Thanks for all the tips, hints, and reassurance that I am not alone.

kle, I was a hobbyist C/C++ programmer for many years. Good catch, though I suppose I should be calling myself std::cout<< instead nowadays.
 
I shoot with both eyes open although I am left eye blind and have been that way since before I started shooting. I'm always curious how much better a shot i would be if I didnt have that impairment.
 
Don't know. My wife's grandfather was blind in one eye. His brain slowly developed to compensate for lack of depth perception. I'm willing to bet despite not physically seeing on one side peripherally, you may actually shoot better now than you would have with two. Think about the fatigue factors encountered that you may not have to deal with right now. Fatigue is a MAJOR factor when shooting long sessions.
 
You bring up a good point about fatigue Tuttle. I will say though in the nine years since losing the vision my depth perception is still not good.
 
I started out with one eye closed. It worked fine for shooting the rifle, but I determined it wouldn't be good for a self defense pistol. The main thing that made me want to change was that after a long shooting session, I would drive away from the range with a VERY strange feeling of muscle spasms in my non-dominant eye. That would last a good 30 minutes and I didn't like the feeling at all. It probably would have gone away after exercising that muscle more, but I found the better (IMHO) method of both eyes open before that happened.

Fly
 
Get an eye exam

I was fortuanate as a young un to have exelent dominant eye vision. Yet in my non dominant eye a terrible case of astigmatiysm, it does not want to stay focused at all. I am right handed and left eye dominant. My grampa noticed this when I was yery young and taught me to shoot left handed. It has worked. Recently when going to rmew my drivers lixcense I could not get my right eye to focus for the eye test, yet was reading line 2 with my left eye. Which is 20/30. I had to go to the eye doctor for a second opinion. I am now required to wear glasses when I drive. It used to be 20/30 for one eye to pass the eye test. It was changed to 20/25.
Ok now to get to the point. He fitted me with a pair of glasses. He is also a target shooter, I have shot with him before. He promised me I would be sgting targets a lot faster. Which has proven to be true. My groups are still the same, but I am aquiring the target a lot faster. Depth preception has never been a problem. It makes things appear a lot sharper. Kind of like when you improve the focus of a camera.
Go get an eye exam, they are not very expensive theese days. Glasses can be purchased at reasonable prices too. Besides I was able to justify it in the fact that I got my glasses cheaper than I could a decent scope and I can now use them with all of my guns.
 
I grew up doing two things, reading and shooting, and as much of both as I could get. Sometimes I'd take a book and my rifle and go out and spend the afternoon somewhere out on the property, reading and shooting.

As a result, I'm both nearsighted and right eye dominant. I've Always shot with both eyes open as far back as I remember. If I was ambidextrous I'd probably be a lot less nearsighted in my left eye. :o

With practice, provided you do it enough, your dominant eye should become your shooting eye. I've known people who have done it, it just takes work. Your body is an amazing machine, quite adaptable.
 
To shoot with both eyes requires you to see in a different way. Normally your brain merges the images from each eye into a single image and provides a 3D image for your brain. Shooting with both eyes open requires your brain to accept two different images without merging them and you are essentially concentrating on the image from the eye looking over the sights only. When you do this depth perception is not required or processed by the brain. Your brain has to learn this unnatural visual information and see the sights and the target with one eye while the other eye is looking down the side of the gun. If you relax and don't force it what you see is the front sight becomes semi transparent, you can actually see the front sight and the target "through" the front sight. It is a useful technique for target and combat shooting because it gives you a much wider field of view. It is difficult for some people to learn because the brain does not want to view the world in two seperate images but if you can relax and not force it it will happen at some point. Practice using your finger as a front sight and look at it while lined up on some "target" until you can see the "target through your finger. Relax. It's really not that hard to do, just unnatural. But very useful as you will have a much greater awareness of multiple targets in front of you.
 
I can't hardly hit anything shooting with both eyes open. For the past 20 years I have always closed one eye while taking aim.

But maybe that's because I'm too lazy & stubborn to learn
 
As everyone said, it has taken some practice. I still cannot acquire the sights and target smoothly, but once on target I can aim with both eyes open without eye strain. I practice all the time when it is acceptable (e.g. at home, not on the bus or at work), and have also been doing the air rifle in the basement. Thanks to all for the tips - I think with the progress this week I will eventually learn to shoot with both eyes open.
 
Ditto for the one eye shooter but in my case is a little different.My left has the strong clear picture and I am right handed.I shoot right eye closed left eye open and as long as I do my part the bullets land what my front site is on.If it aint broke dont worry about it. Imo there is no wrong way unless you miss the paper entirley and shoot the lane over targets.:p
 
Try different "stances," such as isosceles, Weaver or Chapman (modified Weaver) and see if this may help in aligning your dominant eye with the weapon. I, however, am cross dominant (right handed/left eye dominant) so I have my work cut out for me. Because of this, I prefer using either the isosceles or chapman stance. Isosceles is easier given my "condition," but the Chapman stance seems more natural to me.

Now, as far as shotguns are concerned, I use my right eye for alignment by squinting my left eye roughly 40 to 50% in order to force right eye dominance.

Regardless of method, I try to focus on the front sight and/or the target vs. trying to acquire a "perfect" sight picture each time.
 
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One more thing, if the target becomes blurred, just know this is part of it. Unless Im wrong here, the eye can only zero in or focus on one thing at a time, for the most part. Thus, all else will melt into the periphery and/or become somewhat blurred. With enough practice, this will become less of an issue and certainly expected/ignored.

I tend to look at (verify) the target momentarily, then focus on the front sight, hold steady..then fire (not always the case, but mainly so given my needs).

Keeping both eyes open is not as "quick" without practice, but it is more practical in the long run...particularly when HD is of concern. Whether shooting at paper or flesh (animals, of course), its best to develop the "eyes open" sensitivity/skill.
 
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I know it does seem "weird" when you first try keeping both eyes open. For 30 years I always closed one eye to get rid of all the distractions of the double vision stuff. About all I can say is stay after it and force yourself to keep both eyes open. After you've done it long enough, your brain gets used to that extra picture out there and it is OK. I really don't think it matters at all when it comes to hitting targets on a range. At least it doesn't to me. But it's really handy in hunting situations where you are trying to focus on your target and sights but also need to see other things such as what might be moving around behind your elk. It also helps to see where the bullet hits too. Those are the real life advantages but you have to use them in target practice as well so it doesn't feel so weird when you're hunting.
 
I really don't think it matters at all when it comes to hitting targets on a range.
Click to expand...

Depends. In this particular case, mixing techniques may "confuse" the mind when under stress and possibly promote inconsistent habits (particularly when applying multiple techniques to a specific weapon type). Best to be consistent whether at the range, in the field or in a match. These habits can and do transfer...

For instance, for all handguns I shoot with both eyes open; for all long guns I shoot with my left eye 40-50% closed (in order to force right eye dominance), but never fully closed. I never mix and match the two methods. Hence, only one method is associated with one weapon platform.
 
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