Can you train your mind to change eye dominance on command?

[Jay Cunningham]

Per the title question, can you train your brain to assume left eye dominance when shooting strong left hand and right eye dominance when shooting strong right hand? I am talking about a perfect sight picture; no double vision. I am right eye dominant. The best sight picture I can achieve when focusing to make the left eye dominant is a double vision. I know about the tape trick, but I am wondering about being able to change it on command with both eyes unobstructed, for instance if I want to shoot my M4gery + Aimpoint with a strong left hand.

I have no idea if you can train yourself to do this. When I switch to my weak shoulder I close my dominant eye. I guess my question to you is: why are you interested in absolute mastery of a technique which is not often used?

[bsf]

I have no idea if you can train yourself to do this. When I switch to my weak shoulder I close my dominant eye. I guess my question to you is: why are you interested in absolute mastery of a technique which is not often used?

I swap my strong and weak hands with both long guns and handguns every time I shoot, during both one handed and two-handed shooting. Last carbine class I asked my instructor how to deal with difficulty in rapid sight picture acquisition when switching to my non-dominant hand and whether to close my dominant (right) eye. I did not fully understand his response, but he did say not to close the right eye. So, I am not sure how to deal w/ the faux “cross dominance” issue when I shoot long guns left-handed except for cocking my head way over to the left.

[Jay Cunningham]

I swap my strong and weak hands with both long guns and handguns every time I shoot, during both one handed and two-handed shooting. Last carbine class I asked my instructor how to deal with difficulty in rapid sight picture acquisition when switching to my non-dominant hand and whether to close my dominant (right) eye. I did not fully understand his response, but he did say not to close the right eye. So, I am not sure how to deal w/ the faux “cross dominance” issue when I shoot long guns left-handed except for cocking my head way over to the left.

Well, I talked to Larry Vickers about it and we both do the same thing - except that he is cross-eye dominant. But I know that LAV considers closing the dominant eye on a shoulder transition a viable technique. Note that I only close my right eye when actually aiming through the optic. I keep both open right up to that point.

[bsf]

Well, I talked to Larry Vickers about it and we both do the same thing - except that he is cross-eye dominant. But I know that LAV considers closing the dominant eye on a shoulder transition a viable technique. Note that I only close my right eye when actually aiming through the optic. I keep both open right up to that point.

Ok. I will ask my instructor about it when I get a chance. I also wanted others' opinions, though. Thanks.

[Hootiewho]

I don't know to what level in my mind I can do it, but I can shoot with either eye very accurately and pretty fast. I have hunted for all my life and I always practiced shooting with either eye & either hand so it has become somewhat but not quite second nature. I know that if I don't practice it for a while, I become slower. I guess it is like everything else, everybody is different and the more you do it odds are the better you will become at it.

[ToddG]

For those who are saying they easily switch from eye to eye, are you keeping both eyes open regardless of which you're using as your dominant eye?

Closing one eye is easy. Being able to switch dominance with both eyes open is very rare.

[mark5pt56]

Todd, I can keep both eyes open on the off side/non dominate eye. I don't know how to explain the reasoning as to why I need to blink my right eye when transferring the long arm to enable my left eye to "take over"

My son is right handed/left eye dominate. When he first started shooting, I realized that. At first he needed to shoot left shouldered, but now he is ok right shouldered/non dominate eye.

As far as different instructors and what they advocate-it'll be an arguement everytime. I think it boils down to how proficient one is on the off side and whether or not that gives an advantage-or not. I feel it's important enough to practice it so I feel confident to use it if needed.

Mark

[Jerm]

im right handed and left eye dominate....

the only time i find it to be an issue is on a rifle with irons.

with a pistol i simply use my left eye,although i can aim with my right eye(both open),but my focus will occasionally jump back to the left eye,which can be troublesome.ive also found a quick blink will often "reset" my focus back to the eye im wanting...sometimes not.

with my Aimpoint its not an issue at all.

im focused on the target and the dot seems to be floating out in space similar to using a laser.i actually prefer looking through the optic with my non-dominate eye.

[popo23dba]

I'm not really understanding how eye dominance works and I guess I never have. Then again, maybe I'm just different. I've done the dominance "tests", both the one in the linked article and one where you put the forefingers and the thumbs of both hands together to make a triangle, focus on a target, and then bring your hands to your eyes. When doing the test cited in the article, I bring the pistol up on target and I see two pistols. When I put my hands up in the triangle shape, I see two sets of triangles. However, in both tests the right pistol, or right triangle is slightly sharper and slightly more pronounced. Bringing that right pistol or triangle back, brings it to my left eye. Therefore, I always believed I was left eye dominant but wasn't really sure.
This being the case, and because I shoot pistols right handed, I've always used the technique described in the article. However, I shoot rifles left handed. I'm not really sure why I do that, maybe because of my eye dominance but since I was a kid it always felt comfortable for me to shoot pistols right handed and rifles lefty. It's not really a big deal for me but it does make transitions awkward.
Any thoughts on this or am I just all screwed up?

[Gutshot John]

I'm not really understanding how eye dominance works and I guess I never have.

You're not alone, essentially because you have two sides to your brain, 99% of people prefer one side to the other. Left-hand v. right-hand.

The eyes are a bit different in that you need both eyes to work simultaneously with the slightly different image giving you depth perception. So no matter what your dominance you will still need your weak eye for binocular vision.

I've done the dominance "tests", both the one in the linked article and one where you put the forefingers and the thumbs of both hands together to make a triangle, focus on a target, and then bring your hands to your eyes.

Such tests are rarely performed correctly, especially with fingers. Really the best way to test is to cut a hole in a piece of paper and then keeping both eyes open, look through the hole and focus on an object. Then you close each eye individually, whichever eye can still see the object when the other eye is closed is your dominant eye.

This being the case, and because I shoot pistols right handed, I've always used the technique described in the article. However, I shoot rifles left handed. I'm not really sure why I do that, maybe because of my eye dominance but since I was a kid it always felt comfortable for me to shoot pistols right handed and rifles lefty.

I had a similar problem growing up playing baseball, I would throw lefty, but I would bat righty. Left-handers are usually ambidextrous in many ways. In the military I would shoot pistol lefty and inconsistently use both hands to shoot rifle, long story short I had a lot of problems, until a wise gunny realized the problem and told me to keep it in my left hand.

In my experience shooting is one case where being ambidextrous can be a drawback and very confusing without proper coaching/training.