Help! Trouble shooting with both eyes open

[kwadz 11]

Ok, so when I learned to shoot 2 years ago, I cheated and closed my left (non-dominant) eye. Of course this made things very easy because when focused on my front sight, I only saw one target in the distance. However, last time at the range I tried to force myself to shoot with both eyes open. Due to the obvious parallax, I saw two targets while focused on the front sight. So, the "real" target due to my right eye dominance is the one on the right. Does anyone else have this parallax issue? It's not really a problem when taking my time and shooting at a paper target, but I'm nervous about how I would shoot if in a real life situation where time is an issue. I'm afraid that I'd shoot at the "left" target, thus missing completely. How do you get around this? Is this common? Thanks in advance.

[Shane45 807]

What are you focusing on, the target or your front site? Are you sure your right eye dominant?

[Wolfy 51]

kwadz I was shooting for 15+ years one eyed. Last year I switched to both eyes open. The first two trips to the range were frustrating but I went with the plan that I would leave when my eyes got tired. The trick is like those 3D pictures is teaching your eyes which focal plane to focus on. You can also practice at home. Hold the gun up and take a sight picture with one eye closed the open both and see where the sight moves.

[jgofnj 5]

I am a new shooter and just assumed it was okay to shoot with one eye closed. is this wrong? Why is it and what is the advantage of shooting with both eyes open?

[dave545 15]

if you shoot with one eye closed than you can lose a lot of your surroundings, if you can shoot with both eyes open fine than you can choose to shoot with one eye, but first start shooting with both eyes. also you are supposed to shoot shotguns with both eyes open if you do that as well. Someone else can elaborate here far better than I but yes try shooting with both eyes.

[Shane45 807]

I shoot both eyes open for all disciplines. For Tactical Rifle and Combat handgun it is of course the standard. Field of view is one of the key advantages. However, in tactical rifle to be able to use certain optics platforms to full advantage and employ BAC you HAVE to be able to shoot both eyes open. It doesnt work if you dont. BUT for precision rifle(with optics), I have heard valid arguments 1st hand from top top TOP people both ways. I shoot PR both eyes open, my buddy whome has a loong laundry list of accomplishments including a slotted sniper and LE sniper trainer shoots one eye closed for PR, both open for all else.

[sirsloop 1]

If you close one eye you lose roughly 50% of your field of view!

[JonF 79]

If you close one eye you lose roughly 50% of your field of view!

Captain Obvious to the rescue!

 

/thread

 

:mrgreen:

[sirsloop 1]

sarcasm to the rescue!

[Mauser88 0]

I am a new shooter and just assumed it was okay to shoot with one eye closed. is this wrong? Why is it and what is the advantage of shooting with both eyes open?

 

Train yourself to shoot with both eyes open.

 

Close one and lose 50% of you peripheral vision.

 

I shoot with both eyes open even with optics.

[tonys 0]

the only issue with shooting with one eye is that you can not acquire a target that is on your left as fast and as accurately as somebody who has both of there eyes open. In a self defense situation probably wont matter (not a self defense guru so dont hold me to that statement), but in just about every shooting disapline (uspsa, idpa, nra action, steel, 3 gun etc) it is a major disadvatage. Try placing a small piece of scotch tape over your left eye on your shooting glasses. It will blur your vision in that eye so you can see to your left but the double vision goes away.

 

tony

[takeji 3]

When I wear both of my contact lenses shooting with both eyes open, I see two sets of rear sights when I focus on the front sight. If i take my left contact out it goes away. My eye sight is horrible :oops:

[jgofnj 5]

what would be the point of shooting with both eyes open if you can't see out of your left eyewhen you take that contact lens out?

[Shane45 807]

You cant really see anyway. The point and the way the eye works is this. Your eyes are highly focused in the center of your vision. Not so good everywhere else. BUT its good for making out recognisable sillouettes and movement in particuler, 2 key items in a fast moving situation. So even if he cant really see, his eye could probably still pick up siloutetes and movement. Of course in a case of impaired vision it can vary greatly and I would say you need to modify for whatever works for you.

[Caine 147]

Both eyes open is something I struggle with, but try to force myself to do. Being right handed and left eye dominant further adds to the problems. I generally see 2 front sights and 2 blurry targets. Over time it has gotten slightly better where I generally only see one front sight - either that or my brain is learning to ignore the second front sight and I'm not realizing it's there.

I also try to keep both eyes open with long guns, but find that even more confusing unless I'm using red dot. Oddly enough, shooting guns with magnified optics and both eyes open doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

[takeji 3]

I shot today with both eyes open a few rounds and one eye closed a few. My sight picture got way better with both eyes open but I was still shooting better with one closed.

[Shane45 807]

Stick with it. Eventually that will reverse.

[Bob B 103]

The best way I know to learn how to shoot with both eyes open is to put a small piece of tape on your shooting glasses that obscures the target only for your non-dominant eye. It would be about the size of a dime, or even smaller. You keep your peripheral vision and you only see one target. After a while, you will naturally develop the ability to do it without the tape. One day, you'll forget to put the tape on and only realize it after you have been shooting for a while.

 

For years, I shot rifle with a piece of cardboard on the rear sight that blocked my left eye from seeing the target. Now I don't even think about it.

 

Not sure if you noticed, but, on Top Shot, Kelly always had a piece of scotch tape on his glasses.

[Caine 147]

I really need to try that

[tsafa 2]

I have encountered a number of people on my range with this problem. 70% of the time the issue is that their dominant eye is not the one they think. Just because you write with your right hand, does not mean that your right eye is dominant. The hand that squeezes the trigger is determined by your dominant eye, not your dominant hand.

 

There is a common test to determine which is your dominant eye. Cup both your hands together and leave a small one inch hole. Rest your hands by your belt and stare at a small target about 20 feet away with both eyes open. Keep staring and quickly raise your hands to look through them at that target with your hands fully extended. Keep staring at the target though the hole in your hands and now slowly bring your hands back to your eye. Do this a few times and you will know for sure which is your dominant eye. You can further verify this my extending you finger out and pointing at a target with both eyes open. Now close you non-dominate eye. Your finger should not move. Point again and with both eyes open. This time close your dominant eye. The finger should seem to shift over. You just verified which finger controls your pointing.

 

 

About 5% of the time I encounter people who are Omni-Dominant. In this case neither eye is dominant. I happen to be such a person myself. For me, when looking to my right, my right eye takes over... but when looking to the left, the left eye takes over. All I have to do is a quick wink with either eye when I come on target and the other one will establish dominance. With practice, you can get this to happen seamlessly as you draw and come on target.

 

The other 25% of the time, I find that people with such a problem are using the dominant eye and correct hand, but there are varying degrees of eye dominance. For some people one eye seems to have just a little dominance over the other. In this case it just takes practice to get that dominant eye to establish itself faster. A quick wink with the non-dominant eye, can aid the process.