cross eye dominant

**Mr-Dicks** · 28-11-2013, 08:36

Hey guys,

I've recently discovered, since getting my first firearm (pistol), that I am cross eye dominant - i.e. Right handed and left eye dominant.

I had found that when raising my pistol to my line of site, I tend to angle my face a bit to the right and also seem to lean my head to the right as well so that my left eye is directly in line with my sights.

I find that I naturally want to place my chin and/or cheek on my right bicept.

This helps me aim nicely with my left eye, but I'm not sure if this is correct.

I have been trying to always get the pistol to be centred more and sometimes find in about 20% of the time that my right eye sometimes becomes dominant. I do however mostly default to my "natural stance".

I suppose with enough practice I can build the muscle memory to do it the right way, and being a new shooter, I'd obviously like to get the basics right. So please tell me if my face touching my arm is acceptable. And also what the pros and cons are.

**ady** · 28-11-2013, 08:48

It seems from previous posts that there are many right handed and left eye dominant shooters, more than i thaught there were anyway. I'm also right handed and left eye dominant. I move my pistol up to my left eye and keep my head straight and upright and shoot with both eyes open. I also shoot a rifle from my left shoulder, you learn quick enough how to adapt. I must say i actually prefer it because my co-ordinated right hand gets to work the rifle's action.

**urabus** · 28-11-2013, 09:02

just close/blink left eye, when it wants to take over.
I've done it for many years with target archery/field target air rifle...etc
but after lasik, I'm right now....haha.

otherwise, ever consider to switch to left hand??

**Psychosis** · 28-11-2013, 09:22

Originally Posted by urabus

otherwise, ever consider to switch to left hand??

IMO, this doesn't work... at least not for me. I can never be as fast, or as accurate using my left hand (FA manipulations etc included).

Mr-Dicks, I am also cross-eye dominant like you. What you describe, is pretty much what I do.

I prefer to do it like this, as opposed to what ady suggest, purely for the fact that I am then able to maintain a 'straight line' from my strong-hand forearm through the FA (for proper 'fundamental' grip). Doing what ady suggests, for me, means that my wrist tends to 'break' away slightly (in my mind, an unacceptable thing, since it breaks the the strong grip fundamentals).

For me, a good grip\stance is more important that a slight tilt of the head (the head tilting is a lesser of two evils

) - just don't overdo the head tilt thing.

It may differ from person to person... what works for one may not work for another, so it is best to experiment a little and determine which and what works best for you.

As an aside, I shoot rifle from my right shoulder, and in that case I close my left eye (there is no other real way to get around this particular thing for me at least). Some tape inside the glasses for the left eye also works apparently.

I should have my eyes checked, and perhaps a pair of prescriptions may fix it?

**julian** · 28-11-2013, 09:23

I am also cross eye dominant, my right arm I push out straight, and my right cheek against my right shoulder. I have shot handgun like this for years. Learnt from an early age, to shoot rifle/shotgun, out of my left shoulder, always shoot both eyes open.

**Springer** · 28-11-2013, 09:25

I am also right handed and left eye dominant, been shooting for many years with little ill effects. Tried changing to my right eye some years ago but it was not working for me, I have just continued training with the way my body works, and it works for me.

If it bothers you, there are ways to change over, but if not I wouldn't worry about it.

**julian** · 28-11-2013, 09:48

When you get over 40 eyesight starts to deteriorate, I have been experimenting with, prescription lenses this year. Not an easy task, prescription lenses try to make both eyes work together equally. That was very confusing for me, because the dominance would switch from left to right, and ended up having to close one eye. What I am doing now, I have the left prescription lense in, and plain lense in the right. Seems to be working for now.

**Psychosis** · 28-11-2013, 10:02

Originally Posted by julian

When you get over 40 eyesight starts to deteriorate, I have been experimenting with, prescription lenses this year. Not an easy task, prescription lenses try to make both eyes work together equally. That was very confusing for me, because the dominance would switch from left to right, and ended up having to close one eye. What I am doing now, I have the left prescription lense in, and plain lense in the right. Seems to be working for now.

Ya, exactly the boat I am in ... just recently passed the 40 mark...

I think a pair of glasses may help 'overall' in any event to get a good front-sight focus for me, so just for that may be worth it...

Will keep your observations in mind

As an aside, were you able to get prescription lenses for protective eye-wear (suitable for shooting)? And if so, how, what and where?

**Mr-Dicks** · 28-11-2013, 11:02

Thanks for the replies guys.

It doesn't really bother me. My body almost naturally takes that stance. I was just concerned that I may be teaching myself bad habits from the get go. I obviously don't want to have to unlearn a bad habit and would rather try to learn the correct way (if what I am doing is in fact incorrect). Seeing that you guys also have a similar experience, I imagine that it should be okay to do it this way.

I don't see myself changing to left handed shooting to get around this though. Although I suppose a fair degree of shooting ambidexterity cannot be a bad thing.

One thing though: If the target is to your left and you have to move your aim quite a bit, lets say 15 degrees plus, does "leaning your head to the right" on your arm or shoulder not mean slightly more shift in your body than if you were moving your aim to the right 15 degrees plus?

I'm also curious about the prescription shock/impact resistant glasses/goggles. I wear specs and I happen to have a "thicker than normal" eye lens which has resulted in "higher than normal" interior eye pressures, so contacts my not be an option for me.

*Oh, ETA* How do right hand right eye or left hand left eye people shoot? Do they also lean on the dominant arm or do their sights naturally line up in the centre?

**Psychosis** · 28-11-2013, 11:08

When you turn to engage a target to the left (or the right for that matter), you should turn from\at the hips... there may be some turn\twist at the shoulders, but that is natural.

Moving just your shoulders is the 'wrong' way to do it.

Again, this is to ensure a good posture\grip\stance with the isociles triagle formed by your shoulders and arms.