Instructor Help

[Slab]

I wanted to reach out to Instructors and students to see if you could lend some help. I have a student coming to a Defensive Pistol class who has only one eye. Does anyone have any experience with this scenario? Is there anything I can do/should do to maximize the training for him? Does this cause any issues I should specifically be ready to address/work thru? A quick search of the Forum rolled a doughnut...Thanks in advance for your help and time!!!

Slab

[ggammell]

I think you're screaming for Mike Pannones help on this subject. Hit his sub forum.

[T2C]

I ran into this once with an elderly gentleman, but it was a basic pistol course and nothing advanced. I would ask your student his limitations in a private setting and be aware of them while running the course. I would be as discrete as possible, so the other students are not aware of his eyesight unless he chooses to tell them.

You might be surprised at how well a person can adapt to something like this. My father was right handed and blind in his right eye his entire life. He managed to bluff his way into the Army during the Korean War and was one hell of a shot.

I would not treat your student differently in front of other students unless he makes a request for reasonable accommodation for a physical limitation.

[Slab]

T2C, ggammell-Thank you for your thoughts and guidance!

[ST911]

I've worked with various shooters who had sight and hearing related disabilities, diminished extremity use, paralysis, etc.

The most critical thing to assess is if a given disability compromises their ability to be safe, situationally aware, follow directions, and manage the firearm. Everything else can be worked with through student:instructor ratios, learning aides, or adaptive techniques.

Effects of not having binocular vision include reduced peripheral vision, depth perception, visual acuity in reduced light environments, balance, and spatial orientation If your student has had only one eye for some time, they have already developed compensatory life skills. If they can move about, have corrected or uncorrected vision in the remaining eye that's within normal ranges, and can drive, they are likely to be GTG on a range.

I would ask your student if he has any questions or concerns, reinforce safety and situational awareness as above, and follow his lead.

[Gaius]

I've worked with various shooters who had sight and hearing related disabilities, diminished extremity use, paralysis, etc.

The most critical thing to assess is if a given disability compromises their ability to be safe, situationally aware, follow directions, and manage the firearm. Everything else can be worked with through student:instructor ratios, learning aides, or adaptive techniques.

Effects of not having binocular vision include reduced peripheral vision, depth perception, visual acuity in reduced light environments, balance, and spatial orientation If your student has had only one eye for some time, they have already developed compensatory life skills. If they can move about, have corrected or uncorrected vision in the remaining eye that's within normal ranges, and can drive, they are likely to be GTG on a range.

I would ask your student if he has any questions or concerns, reinforce safety and situational awareness as above, and follow his lead.

I completely agree. The only thing I might add is to be sure that the student is matching his one good eye with the correct hand/grip. I.e., if his good eye say is the right, and he is shooting left handed, you will have to work with that.

[sinister]

I think you're going to find it's not going to make a difference.

Many shoot with only one eye anyway. Mobility isn't much of an issue if he's only had sight in a single eye for a while (he/she will have learned to compensate).

[Slab]

Copy all. Thank ya'll for taking the time to reply, MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

[Caduceus]

Probably a no-brainer (and certainly no help in the training front), but make sure he has good eye pro!

[rackham1]

Slab, the "Defensive Pistol" classes I've taken were sorta the 'tweener classes between Basic and more advanced courses. Generally they were most of the students' first exposure to shooting while moving, 360* scans, drawing, reholstering, etc. Assuming that's how this class is...

If I were another student in class with a one-eyed shooter, then for safety I'd expect that person on the end of the line with his/her good eye toward the rest of the students. I wouldn't want to be on that person's blind side as the line advances/retreats.

And if I were the one-eyed shooter, I'd personally want you to be extra vocal to me about awareness of my surroundings, caution with lateral movement towards my blind side, scanning for additional threats, etc.

I know, I know... the person is pretty used to compensating on their own already (like when flight attendants tell me to watch my head when I board planes... look lady, being this tall is nothing new to me), but if they knew all the answers then they wouldn't be in your class. Sensitivity be damned when it comes to a life-and-death skillset.