# Question on eye dominance in children, problem



## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

I also posted in General Archery but this maybe is where it should have gone. I have a dilema here with my daughter and need some advise from fellow archers. She is 6 years old and started shooting a little recurve when she was 4. We did the eye test on her and she tested right eye dominate. We bought her a right handed nuclear ice. She kept peeking with her left eye. We had her shoot with a patch on until we found her a left handed bow which arrived a couple days ago. We set it up yesterday and she tried it out. Now she started peeking with her right eye! We had to put the patch on her right eye this time to get her to look with the left one! What would you do? Has anyone experienced this with their kids before?


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

anyone?


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## DogWoman (Sep 9, 2011)

I shot rifles many years Rifles are right eyed and I'm left handed. My father taught me how to close my left eye (and I still practice it while watching tv). Now before anyone fusses about visual issues, I will tell you I have many awards for gun shooting so my visual is not impaired. I am ambidextrous and prefer left handed but have no issues shooting right handed bows.
My grandson is left eyed also and shoots left handed. He wants to learn to shoot right handed. We know he can do it since he shoots a rifle and is an excellent marksman. 
When I bought my bow, the guys at the pro shop sat down with me and told me what I'd be looking at shooting left handed. In the case of my bow, extra cost and difficulty selling it if that time came. They advised shooting right handed. Now the caveat: I can do both so their advice was sound.
Patching the non dominat eye will help the form of not looking around the bow. My grandson also did this. It's also important on what feels more comfortable: left or right? My grandson and I feel comfortable shooting left and right handed. 
As far as the eye test, I'm not fond of the results. Because I learned to use both eyes from childhood, I really don't have much of a dominant eye. I drive the testers NUTS. One person who tested me is one of the top national military shooters in the country. It wasn't until I did one simple thing shooting my bow that I realized there is a dominance towards my left eye. That means closing it. Simple solution.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

yes , i have seen this its rare......... ill say this... if shes is a rt . handed let her shoot rt handed its more natural. just have her squint the left eye. i have worked with thousands of students i have only seen this 2 times.


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

I have both bows here and I think I am going to let her pick which one she likes to shoot the best. It did not take her long to get used to shooting the left handed bow so I think she could go either way.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

please let me know which one she picked and why if you dont mind.


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