one eye or two

I always try to shoot with both eyes open. Even though you're concentrating right in front of you, you still can pick up on peripheral objects and I think that's important, scoped or open sights.
 
Left or right,one or two

Interesting. Since I began shooting a snubby with either hand I've discovered that the dominant eye follows the hand that is holding the gun.

Either way, there are two images to sort out. I wink, that does it.

Weird? It works.
 
Both eyes open

I'm right handed & shoot handguns primarily right handed. I'm legally blind (20/200) in my right eye, so I shoot longarms left handed. I shoot everything w/ both eyes open because I have zero depth perception & also, don't even think I'm looking thru my bad eye even when it's open, if that makes any sense.

The only time I close one eye is when I try to shoot a long arm right handed thru by bad eye. Because my left eye is so dominant, I do have to shut my good eye.

I'm a little bit proud of my shooting ability, however, when I'm shooting just using my bad eye, it's best to stand behind me! :D
 
" A friend of mine basically threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't start learning to shoot with both eyes open. "

You do know you can shoot him. :) ( see one eye does work! )

Not everyone has good stereo ( 3D ) vision, having to deal with 2 offset images can be difficult making one eye closed much better.

Have any of the one eye shooters had their stereo vision checked? I bet there is a correlation to poor 3D. It took me into my mid 30's to figure out the world is flat to me, my depth perception is generated my judging the size of objects. Having worn glasses since kindergarten I never knew the difference and eye exams down played the poor results.
 
Always both eyes open, even with an open sight or scoped rifle. I have been a competitive shooter in IPSC and IDPA for many years. My thought is, you were given 2 eyes and they will serve you better if you are using them both. I am right handed and left eye dominant. With both eyes open you have depth perception and still have full field of vision not to mention better target aquisition.
 
I noticed a guy with a piece of semi clear scotch tape on the lens of his glasses covering his non dominate eye. I asked him about it. Sure enough, he was like me, but found that the tape “fogged” the view on that eye, allowing him to keep both eyes open, but remain focused on the sights. I tried it, and sure enough, it works.
Cross-dominant here, also. I've been wanting to try this for years, and never seem to remember to do it. I've heard it works wonders shotgunning, something I'm just recently getting into, but if it makes my handgunning, which I've never had a problem with, even better, then I'm all for it.
 
I was encouraged to learn how to shoot both eyes open in an IDPA match. It takes a lot of practice, coming off of shooting non-dominant eye closed for years...but it works - I get a much better "picture" of the target area. Admittedly, I momentarily acquire the sight picture with my dominant eye, and then open the other eye.
 
Have I got a story for you...

Lawnboy, I have been left eye dominant all my life. My right eye was weaker and I was right handed and I was in my 30s before I finally got an Eye Doctor who was able to get my glasses so that I could see well enough with my right eye to aim.
Then I developed cataracts and in October of last year I had both lens replaced and had 20/20 sight in both eyes except for up close.
Then in November I developed a detached retina in my right eye and had it repaired. In the surgery nerves in my eye were cut and the eye is paralyzed and I have no sight in it at all. I've been to the eye doc every week since and they have told me I probably will never see with my right eye again . I'm back to left eye / right handed shooting. No matter what method you use, one eye open...both eyes open, whatever: Always train as if you could lose either eye tomorrow and you won't get lost if you suddenly lose an eye or the sight in one. Good luck. Wear the best eye protection you can find!!
Regards; Al
 
It depends on my moment. One day, both eyes open; another day I might have right eye closed. But I usually shoot with eyes open, as that might be the case if I really had to use the firearm in a moment of defense.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top