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Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 8:17 am
by Rhysatkins
I mainly shoot rifle at 25m and 10m air. I am naturally left handed but my right eye is my dominant eye. I learnt to shoot right handed and don't have to much of a problem with it but I have recently notice that my vision is clearer in my left eye. Does anybody have any advice on what i should do? shall move to being a lefty and wearing a blind? or get a corrective lenses?

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 10:39 am
by Tim S
The easiest option would be a corrective lens for your right eye. If you were a new shooter, shooting from your strong shoulder, with a blinder over your dominant eye, would be easier as static rifle shooting doesn't demand the dominant eye aim; a cross dominant shooter won gold at the London Olympics. However if you have a rifle(s) already, a lens will be cheaper than new gear, especially left-handed gear.

If the vision in your right eye was not good enough, even with a lens, then you could switch to left-hand left eye,. A cheaper alternative would be a periscope adaptor for the eyepiece or sights outriggers to shoot right-hand left eye. ISSF rules allow this for 50m rifle, but I don't know about 10m air.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 10:50 am
by David Levene
Tim S wrote:A cheaper alternative would be a periscope adaptor for the eyepiece or sights outriggers to shoot right-hand left eye. ISSF rules allow this for 50m rifle, but I don't know about 10m air.
No problem.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:11 pm
by Chia
Tim S wrote:The easiest option would be a corrective lens for your right eye. If you were a new shooter, shooting from your strong shoulder, with a blinder over your dominant eye, would be easier as static rifle shooting doesn't demand the dominant eye aim; a cross dominant shooter won gold at the London Olympics. However if you have a rifle(s) already, a lens will be cheaper than new gear, especially left-handed gear.

If the vision in your right eye was not good enough, even with a lens, then you could switch to left-hand left eye,. A cheaper alternative would be a periscope adaptor for the eyepiece or sights outriggers to shoot right-hand left eye. ISSF rules allow this for 50m rifle, but I don't know about 10m air.

Since someone else brought this up, I'd like to ask for some advice too. I'm an AP10m shooter who is cross-dominant (left eye, right hand). I am in need of a new prescription, which has been held off on due to various life events. I shoot with weakeye/strong shoulder. I can reliably get in the black for about 35 rounds (so just starting out, basically) before my muscles begin to give out and the shots start to move around. Obviously muscle training is a different issue (and one I've asked about), but should I be considering left eye/left shoulder or left eye/right shoulder shooting? Or is my current path just fine? Any advice would be appreciated.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 4:55 pm
by TenMetrePeter
Having tried both hands and eyes during 18 months of a severe tendonitis I would say strong hand weak eye every time. With left hand I never got closer than 80% of my
right hand scores.
Good alternative is a skew grip and go right hand left eye.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 5:15 pm
by Spencer
TenMetrePeter wrote:Having tried both hands and eyes during 18 months of a severe tendonitis I would say strong hand weak eye every time. With left hand I never got closer than 80% of my
right hand scores.
Good alternative is a skew grip and go right hand left eye.
And then, there are those (few) who shoot 25m precision stage with one eye. and RF stage with the other.

TenMetrePeter is right; shaping the grip can accommodate eithr eye for pistol.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 5:28 pm
by TenMetrePeter
Rink sell grips with 7 degree skew for opposite eye use.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:05 pm
by Chia
TenMetrePeter wrote:Rink sell grips with 7 degree skew for opposite eye use.
THAT'S what that means. I always wondered. Thanks for the info guys.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 11:33 pm
by SamEEE
Jay Shi suffered an eye injury as a kid, and if you look at his pistol and grip the pistol is halfway across his body to be inline with his good eye.

Image

I have read some evidence that eye dominance is more important than hand dominance; but have no first hand experience into the matter.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:44 am
by Rhysatkins
Thanks for all the advice. I think I am going to try and stick with my right hand as it just feel stronger and more comfortable and my right dominant eye and look into getting a lens to go on the sight.

Re: Advice on Eye dominance and what side to shoot

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:39 pm
by Chia
Hey SamEE, I won't quote your post because of its size, but thanks for sharing that. Your post made me go read a good article on him. Very humble and impressive competitor.