I have always shot both eyes open with a dominant right eye. Lately I have been having trouble because my right eye is not now dominant. I see two equal targets and I find myself shooting between the two targets with poor results. If I close my left eye to shoot everything goes well, but I know shooting with both eyes open is the correct procedure. I notice this more with moving targets like the Texas star. This is not a case of poor vision just the dominance of my right eye changing. Has anyone gone through this or know of a solution?
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Dominant eye changing
- Thread starter 3-Liter
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Sounds like you are getting older.
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James
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James
I'd check with an ophthalmologist or a good optometrist. Something sounds odd here. All these years you knew how to shoot with both eyes open and now you don't? You said that you're OK with the left eye closed. Are you OK with the right eye closed? My dominant eye went from right to left, but for an obvious reason (deteriorating vision in the right eye). I wonder whether your right eye is changing a little. Or whether you are simply having some sort of problem getting your two eyes to converge properly - do you have any problems at all when you are not shooting?
BTW, I'm not so sure that there's anything wrong with closing one eye if you need to. But I think your eyes are telling you something.
BTW, I'm not so sure that there's anything wrong with closing one eye if you need to. But I think your eyes are telling you something.
FWIW, instead of closing the left eye try blocking it with a cleaning patch inside your shooting glasses. It used to help for stationary target shootong.
scooter123
Member
First off, do NOT shoot between the 2 targets. As you've already seen this produces horrible results. What you need to do is train your MIND to automatically select the correct target. In your case, the target on the LEFT is produced by your Right Eye. So, if you want to continue to shoot using your right eye then shoot at the left target. BTW, you can confirm what I'm telling you will work by "winking" your left eye when your lined up on a target.
Note, I'm another with what could be called "mixed dominance". In my case it a matter of using my left eye with SLR cameras for 40 years and shooting handguns right eye dominant. In addition to mixed dominance I have also lost the ability to focus on handgun sights, so my shooting today is target focused. As a result I see one target and 2 handguns. For me the right handgun is correct for shooting with my right eye.
Now for a bit of a kicker. I can aim and fire 2 handguns at the same target point at the same time because of my mixed dominance. I can also switch to my left eye when shooting left handed and because my vision is a bit better in my left eye in slow fire I'm usually a bit more accurate "weak" hand.
To sum it up, when you find your turning into an Old Dog you'll find it's helpful to teach yourself a few new tricks to compensate for the changes in vision and things like that.
Note, I'm another with what could be called "mixed dominance". In my case it a matter of using my left eye with SLR cameras for 40 years and shooting handguns right eye dominant. In addition to mixed dominance I have also lost the ability to focus on handgun sights, so my shooting today is target focused. As a result I see one target and 2 handguns. For me the right handgun is correct for shooting with my right eye.
Now for a bit of a kicker. I can aim and fire 2 handguns at the same target point at the same time because of my mixed dominance. I can also switch to my left eye when shooting left handed and because my vision is a bit better in my left eye in slow fire I'm usually a bit more accurate "weak" hand.
To sum it up, when you find your turning into an Old Dog you'll find it's helpful to teach yourself a few new tricks to compensate for the changes in vision and things like that.
mwtdvm
Member
Similar situation
I had problems with corneal edema that was progressive following cataract surgery in '08, rt eye first then left eye. Turns out I have another problem.. Fuch's corneal dystrophy. My first surgery was last May to my right eye. A Descmet's stripping and automated endothelial keratoplasty ..AKA A subtotal corneal transplant. Well the right eye went well but the left eye required two grafts to get it right. The left eye turned out "better" and is now about 20/20 but the right is more like 20/40 or 50. The left eye is becoming dominant again and there really isn't much I can do other than mask the left eye and not see well or learn to shoot with the left eye.
Don't know your age but Fuch's onset is usually in the fifth and sixth decades and not everybody looks for it. Two D.O.'s missed mine and the ophthalmologist that did my cataract SX suspected that was the cause but did not do the SX to correct it.
I had problems with corneal edema that was progressive following cataract surgery in '08, rt eye first then left eye. Turns out I have another problem.. Fuch's corneal dystrophy. My first surgery was last May to my right eye. A Descmet's stripping and automated endothelial keratoplasty ..AKA A subtotal corneal transplant. Well the right eye went well but the left eye required two grafts to get it right. The left eye turned out "better" and is now about 20/20 but the right is more like 20/40 or 50. The left eye is becoming dominant again and there really isn't much I can do other than mask the left eye and not see well or learn to shoot with the left eye.
Don't know your age but Fuch's onset is usually in the fifth and sixth decades and not everybody looks for it. Two D.O.'s missed mine and the ophthalmologist that did my cataract SX suspected that was the cause but did not do the SX to correct it.
joeintexas
US Veteran
I had a stroke in my right retina a couple of years ago and I have had to learn to shoot all over again. It was for me anyway a matter of training my brain to focus with both eyes when only one really sees. I went to the range this morning and shot 100 rounds of 45s and put 99 in the circle so I was happy with that and it was with a new pistol I hadn't shot before so you can do it. Keep the faith and see the eye doc.
In all fairness, it was a big circle though. LOL
In all fairness, it was a big circle though. LOL
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My dominant right eye changed and the eye doctor said I have bleeding behind that eye and I have been taking injections in the eye for the last year at 800.00 a shot plus the office call. I had lazer surgery also and all this has not improved it at all.
Now I shoot with the left eye.
Now I shoot with the left eye.
joeintexas
US Veteran
I went through the same proceedure for the past two years, lazer surgery, retina surgery and 8 injections for the same thing, bleeding behind the eye. I got maybe a 20% improvement overall. 20/20 in left eye, 20/200 in right. Hope you get better results eventually.
