# What to do when an archer has NO dominant eye



## J Whittington

everyone has a dominant eye


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## captain71

I'm left eye dominant I'm right handed. I shoot my gun left handed and shoot bow right handed. I learned to shoot my bow with both eyes open. I use to use a patch on my left eye when i shot my bow but that became to much of a hustle so I learn to shoot with both eyes open:thumbs_up


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## SFTL-1

It is possible, but not common, just as being ambidexterous is not common. Is your sight pin blurred or doubled when looking at it? If so, you need to force one eye to become dominant by either closing the left (if you shoot right handed) or you can use a small piece if opaque tape 1/4" x 1/4" and position on glasses so it only blocks your line of sight of the left eye from seeing the sight pin. You should therefore be able to sight in with your right eye (if right handed shooter) and your right eye will be able to focus on the pin while your left eye views the target.


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## subconsciously

My wife and myself use a double vison blocker (topbowarchery.com) It works very well. I shoot a bow with my back not my eyes, so it should really matter which side you choose. I would choose your strong side.

.02


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## ebonarcher

I have not truly seen anybody with no dominant eye..,. I have seen people try to do the check for dominant and then move the hole to be right eyen dominant when they were left eye dominant. 
Right now i AM IN BED AND HAVE THOUGHT OF A NEW TEST BUT I'LL TRY FIRST IN THE MORNING BEFORE i POST.


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## Bees

DayleeRose said:


> Yes, you read that correctly: I do not have a dominant eye. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this themselves, or has helped someone with this issue. I've only recently gotten into archery (okay, yesterday was the first time I shot a bow), but I've shot several rifles and seem to have pretty good, and consistent, aim left handed (left-eyed) and right handed (right-eyed). I'm right handed so use a right handed bow, but haven't had much of a chance to play with my eyes (leaving both open, using my right eye, or possibly shooting left handed and using my left eye).
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with this? How might this impact my shooting, and what are my options?
> 
> PS (I say this respectfully) Please don't tell me that it's not possible to not have a dominant eye. I've tried every dominance test possible and even talked to my optometrist. Neither eye is dominant. Thank you!


when you take a picture with a camera which eye do you use??


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## mike 66

*No problem girl ....*

Your rt handed! Shoot rt. All you need to do is aim and close left eye . And shoot them bulls shoot easton since 1966


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## rmkreman

*No Dominant Eye*

With no dominant eye I would shoot with my handedness if you are not ambidextrous. I wonder what a peep sight on your string is going to do. I wonder if you are going to be able to shoot with both eyes open with no ill effects. If you can, no problem. If aiming problems you may have to shoot without a peep, shoot with the nonpeep eye closed, or wear a patch. I do not think you will know until you shoot a bow for awhile. Maybe you were born to be an instinctive shooter (without a sight). There are some good ones out there, and I believe instinctive shooting provides many benefits including shooting moving targets, not needing a rangefinder, shooting in low light, and not having to worry if your sights got knocked out of alignment. When you find your answer please post it here on AT.


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## bigredtn

most people with this problem are women,Have encountered this problem with skeet and trap shooters,we'd put tape over the left eye so I would suggest an eye patch....that simple,lol.


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## Fletcher43

*eye*



rmkreman said:


> With no dominant eye I would shoot with my handedness if you are not ambidextrous. I wonder what a peep sight on your string is going to do. I wonder if you are going to be able to shoot with both eyes open with no ill effects. If you can, no problem. If aiming problems you may have to shoot without a peep, shoot with the nonpeep eye closed, or wear a patch. I do not think you will know until you shoot a bow for awhile. Maybe you were born to be an instinctive shooter (without a sight). There are some good ones out there, and I believe instinctive shooting provides many benefits including shooting moving targets, not needing a rangefinder, shooting in low light, and not having to worry if your sights got knocked out of alignment. When you find your answer please post it here on AT.


everyone has a doninate eye she is confusing ambidextrous.there are a variety of test to take to determine your dom eye. just stand parallel with an object pointyour finger at it with both your eyes open and close one eye at a time.the one your finger stays on the object is your dominate eye.....your none dom eye will be way off...


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## SARASR

If I were you I would go to a bow shop and shoot each left and right handed and go with that which feels best, I think you would be able to shoot with both eyes open if you used a anchor sight it just may take a little practice. or there one other option if I can remember or find it I post it up its basically a plastic shield next to coming off you sight housing that blocks the non aming eyes vision...anyone?


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## buckhunter2705

best thing to do is take both hands hold them out take you left hand and hold it up then take your rite and lay it ontop so it they cross opposite /\ like that but on top of each other then do the same with your thumbs facing down it should make a small circle or diamond shape while doing this find an object on the wall and with both eyes open center it in the hole close each eye when you close one it should stay in the hole when you close the other it shouldn't the one where it stays in the hole is your dominant eye and thats the hand you need to shoot with. at least thats how i set my 4-h shooters up and i haven't had any complaints yet


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## hdracer

I'm mostly left-handed but shoot my bows right-handed due to being "mostly" right eye dominate. I say mostly right eye dominate because if I leave both eyes open and concentrate on the target, my sight (Sword scope w/pin and 4X lens) completely disappears (btw I wear glasses). It's almost as if I have no sight on my bow. I must partially close my left eye to get the pin to reappear. I'm thinking about using an old archer's trick of putting a piece of scotch tape over my left glasses lens to obscure the target. It doesn't happen all the time but it is anoying to have to refocus on the target.


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## nag

If you say you have no dominate eye, I believe you. Perhasp your eyes are so close in functioning abilities that you can't perceive the difference....no matter.
I think that you should shoot which ever hand feels best to you. 
Besides, most likely you'll be using a peep anyway and probably will try to close the other eye when sighting.
It really would be best to keep both eyes open when sighting...helps with depth perception, but if that's not possible, then a black card or piece of tape on glasses covering the non aiming eye will help to relieve eye strain from trying to close it.

I have been left eye dominate and right handed all my life, but now at 57, believe it or not, my right eye is starting to "swtich" over and is becoming more dominate.


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## Blackbird66

*I too have no dominant eye*

I don't know what is more depressing, the lack of knowledge about what to do, or the lack of belief in this condition.

EVERY SINGLE TEST PROVES THAT I HAVE NO DOMINANT EYE. PERIOD.

All of the good shooters I know shoot with both eyes open. I cannot do this with sights because if I try I see either two sights, or two targets. Up to this point ( I'm just starting out ) I've shot instictive, but I wonder what, if any effect this has on my shooting. I've also wondered for years if this is why I have fairly poor depth perception.
I do know that I shoot just as poorly right or left hand.
I can generally do any task equally with either hand, though my left tends to be more inclined for tedious intricate task, and my rights is stronger. ( we do live in a world setup for right handed people)


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## joracer

DayleeRose said:


> Yes, you read that correctly: I do not have a dominant eye. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this themselves, or has helped someone with this issue. I've only recently gotten into archery (okay, yesterday was the first time I shot a bow), but I've shot several rifles and seem to have pretty good, and consistent, aim left handed (left-eyed) and right handed (right-eyed). I'm right handed so use a right handed bow, but haven't had much of a chance to play with my eyes (leaving both open, using my right eye, or possibly shooting left handed and using my left eye).
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with this? How might this impact my shooting, and what are my options?
> 
> PS (I say this respectfully) Please don't tell me that it's not possible to not have a dominant eye. I've tried every dominance test possible and even talked to my optometrist. Neither eye is dominant. Thank you!


I had the same problem when I was young. The test came back left a couple
of times and right a couple of times....I had to really concentrate sometimes
I'd get double vision blink, blink,.tap head.....close that eye enough and it
will train the other eye to pick it up.......I still can't find the dominate eye
with a test but have no trouble shooting with either eye.......I guess the
more you do it, the better it will come to you....


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## jimmyonthespot

I don't have a dominant eye either. It's sometimes left, sometimes right. I close my left eye when I shot, if I don't I get double vision. I may never be a olympic shooter, but I do put a lot of critters on the ground.


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## paulanaussie

Since posting have you had more experience shooting either hand which feels better?


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## Blackbird66

right feels more "normal" as I have a little more practice that way. Left hand fells a bit strange as far as loading an arrow, but the practice of actually shooting is about the same.
I shot some today, now that the weather permits. I closed my left eye, to sight in with my right, then once eye opened m left eye, I tried to focus on the image I had just seen. ( I see double with both eyes )
still experimenting............


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## shewter1515

I also have no dominant eye. You will be able to shoot either way as far as your eyes go. It may help to start out shooting with one eye close and work your way to shooting with both eyes open. I can shoot with both eyes open but I must squint the off eye in order to get my shooting eye to focus. Don't worry about those that don't believe you and just pick a bow that feels right to you. I often wonder if I could shoot better left handed. I ended up shooting right handed solely due to the fact that right handed bows are easier to come by. Good luck.


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## sefianix

*eye dominance test*

I've seen the simple test before but just too lazy to try to describe it or give directions. So you can check out this video that I just googled. (I'm sure you can find other videos/websites that describe the same test.) http://www.ehow.com/video_5113300_buy-bow.html The guy in the video demonstrates the simple test. Probably the best thing is to have another person across from you to see which eye you are actually looking through your hands (as shown in the video by the camera).


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## Southpaw57

Put me on the list of one without a dominant eye. I am basically left handed, but shoot bow right handed. I write left handed, shoot left handed, some other things left and right handed. Call me messed up if you want, I've always just done what felt most comfortable. My first bow was left handed, and I shot my brother's righty and it felt much more comfortable. Been doing it that way for 25 years now. My theory is do what feels best.

I have done tests all my life, from when I was 12 shooting bb gun competition till now, and everyone always tries to come up with a new test to prove I am full of crap. I use both eyes equally, sorry. If I do any of the tests focusing on a distant object while holding up fingers, hands, etc. It moves equally for both eyes. I can also shoot with both eyes open if I choose, I am just able to focus the eye that's doing the aiming, or I can close one eye, and it is a moot point from there.

Long story short, do what feels best. :wink:


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## Blackbird66

My current method is to initially close one eye. ( left eye closed to shoot right hand/ right eye close for left) Once I sight the target in I can then open the closed eye, while remaining fixed on my sight position. Now opening the closed eye gives me two targets to choose from, but only one has my sight pin already on it. This works for me so far.


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## stuckon308

I'm the same. I always have been. I'm also ambidextrous. I close my left eye because it's easier to find right handed guns and bows. If I really want to focus I can leave both eyes open but it doesn't help anything.


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## ebonarcher

I'm throwing a question out so please do not take it as an insult. I've seen many different peolpe in this world and know that psycologists <ok, i'm not big on spelling > Group them into different type by their levels of how they relate to things. I've been accuse of being a classic A personality. So I'm wondering if people whom have been unable to determine their eye dominance are of a particular type. "if they know?"


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## whiz-Oz

Even though this thread is six months old, it's rather interesting. 

If you truly have no dominant eye, then you will have no eye dominance problems. 

The shooting issues are created by *having* a dominant eye, not a lack of one. 

I just hope that you shot the way that felt best to you.


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## Elky McBugle

Most of the stuff posted on this thread tells me that almost nobody read Daylee's original message. She was not asking anyone if she has a dominant eye. She was not asking for a fool-proof eye dominance test. I think she was just wondering if there was a way she could "teach" her non-aiming eye to quit doubling up her vision when she aims.


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## Elky McBugle

I'm not sure if this helps but here goes: When I do the quick, do-it-yourself eye dominance tests I'm right eye dominant. But if I think about it before the test, I can change the way I focus and seem to be left eye dominant for the test. I don't see double or blurred at all. It feels like two things are happening - One is I'm making one eye be the dominant eye (shouldn't be a problem for you since both eyes are always wanting to be the dominant one). The second, and most important, is I'm telling the other eye to back off a little so I don't see double. Can't explain how. I think you should shoot right handed since that should be most comfortable for your body. That way the only thing you'll have to practice is getting your left eye to quit screwing you up. May take time but you should get it eventually.


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## mortre

If neither eye is truely dominate, I would guess shoot with what ever way feels more natural and use the standard methods that left eye/right hand dominate people do that prefer to shoot with there dominate hand instead of eye.


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## SeanK

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same problem. Here's a weird twist. The first test I did for eye dominance, I made a circle with my thumb and index finger on my right hand, placed a far away, small object in the middle of it, and then closed each eye one at a time and found myself to be left eye dominant. For that reason, I figured I should shoot left handed.

Then, because I'm too curious for my own good, I tried doing the same thing with my left hand and found that I was right eye dominant. Damnit.

So then I thought, maybe I should see if there are any other tests, maybe one that is more symmetrical in nature, so I found this test:

Extend your arms in front of you with your palms facing away.

Bring your hands together, forming a small hole by crossing the thumbs and fore fingers.

Choose a small object about 15-20 feet away from you. With both eyes open, focus on the object as you look through the small hole.

Close one eye and then the other. When you close one eye, the object will be stationary. When you close the other eye, the object should disappear from the hole or jump to one side.

If the object does not move when you cover one eye, then that eye is dominant. The eye that sees the object and does not move is the dominant eye.

Here's the problem I'm having, and I'm not sure if this is typical or not. If my left hand is on top of my right hand, I'm right eye dominant. If my right hand is on top of my left hand I'm left eye dominant.


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## ron w

that's a good question......
in all my years, I have not come across someone with no dominant eye. I suppose it could be possible. that person would be a good candidate to shoot with a sight blocker over whichever eye is opposite their shooting hand....right or left...I don't know any other way I would deal with that! it would at least reduce the inherent stress of aiming with one eye deliberately closed. I know I have tried that, "one eyed aiming", just to see how it works, and it is very stressful to me. it seems like allot of extra work and effort has to go into aiming when you deliberately close on eye.


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## Mikonos

I didn't read all responses so my apologies if someone mentioned it but the best way to check for eye dominance is to have the subject stand 10 yds from another person. Now put their hands up and form the triangle at a full arms length, and instead of pulling their hand to their eye, stare at the persons nose. The second person should see only one eye and that eye is the dominate one!


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## ChiefLostArrow

I have the same issue with eye dominance. If I keep both eyes open, focused on something far away, I will see two of everything in the foreground, imagine driving, focusing on the car in front of you, and there is a spot of bird poop on the windshield, I see two spots, one from the left eye, and one from the right. Both images of the poop, are somewhat "ghosted", meaning they don't apear to be solid, I guess the other eye is providing the image at the same time. 

Conversely, when focusing on something close, I see two of everything beyond that focus point.

It comes down to this: All of you "normals"  out there, when you do your eye dominance test and close one eye then the other and your thumb jumps left or right of the "target", well, I see both images all the time.

It can be tough when trying to shoot pistols with both eyes open (both open for better awareness, etc), because I see two sets of sights when looking at the target. I just have to remember which one to use, left or right. Technically, both the left and right image that my brain sees will result in a hit on target, because the set of sights align with my right eye, and the right set of sights align with my left eye. 

Most shooting instructors will tell you to focus on the front sight, problem with that for me, is that when I do that, I now see two targets........:sad:


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## ChiefLostArrow

Just looked up the medical term for it: Diplopia. Everyone with two eyed binocular vision has the potential for it, only a small percentage of people can see both at the same time, or their brain allows them to see both would be a better description.

It is the absence of a dominant eye, unfortunately.


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## Casey Dill

I always thought it was normal to see two of an object placed in front of an object you are focusing on. I see the same thing. But, I thought it was due to parallax vision we have that is used for depth perception.

I too have problems using those tests to check for eye dominance. Usually it seems that I am Left Eye but does sometimes change. My guess is that it is caused by my brain knowing what I am up to and messing with the results. This is why optical illusions often fail after you are made aware of what is going on.

I did find two other methods that might help. One, I notice when walking, if I close only my left eye (looking through my right eye) I feel disorientated, but am fine with my right eye closed looking through my left eye.

Also, I found that with my phone off, in the reflection, if I align a spot on the glass with the tip of my nose, it is always with my left eye. It doesn't seem to matter what I focus on, the spot or my reflection. When trying it, I actually seem to keep switch back and forth.

I think the issue is with any of these tests, is you have to do it without thinking about it.


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## Bee Man

Buy a gun


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## subconsciously

Hand someone a camera and ask them to take a picture. Most of the time they will bring the camera to their dominant eye. If not dominant at least to the favored eye.


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