My son (6) is right-handed but left-eye dominant. This is causing havoc even just getting him to line up behind a rifle. He's still a little too young to be shooting yet, but I would really like to get his eye dominance sorted by the time he is old enough / ready. Are there any means or rectifying, or at least improving through training?
Fixing Eye Dominance Issues
- Thread starter tjm160
- Start date
Monkey Spanker
Well-Known Member
You can't 'correct' it ! He is what he is! You'd do well to accept it and to get him shooting left handed to begin with. It may only be a minor issue with a rifle and scope, but it is a much bigger issue if he moves onto shotguns. I am also right handed and left eye dominant but to established to change. However, if I could wind back the clock to when I also started shooting at aged 6, I would have chosen the left handed route.
MS
MS
Hi there
if you just get him to shut the dominant eye whilst sighting the target he should be fine.
I am cross eye dominant and have no problem. Shotgun shooting is a different ball game !
If shotgun shooting he can either shut the dominant eye or wear shooting glasses with a foil over the centre of the dominant eye lense. Alternatively he could try the easyhit fibre optic bead which is supposed to correct cross eye dominance.
Whilst he is still young you could train him to shoot off the left shoulder.
Hope this helps.
G.
if you just get him to shut the dominant eye whilst sighting the target he should be fine.
I am cross eye dominant and have no problem. Shotgun shooting is a different ball game !
If shotgun shooting he can either shut the dominant eye or wear shooting glasses with a foil over the centre of the dominant eye lense. Alternatively he could try the easyhit fibre optic bead which is supposed to correct cross eye dominance.
Whilst he is still young you could train him to shoot off the left shoulder.
Hope this helps.
G.
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I'm exactly the same and I think this is very good advice. Let him try shooting left handed and he will reap the benefits later when he starts shooting a shotgun. Only problem is the choice of left handed rifles but cross that bridge when you come to it. In due course get him on the BASC young shots scheme.
if he can train himself to close his left eye whilst keeping the right open, he can train himself to shoot right handed. my wife has the same issue, almost put her off shooting. I've since started training her to shoot left handed, and apart from the awkwardness, she's getting on with it well and couldn't believe how amazing it was to be able to "see what I'm shooting at" ! LOL..
are you sure your son is right handed? I understand a lot of left eye dominant people are inherently left handed, but were just wrongly taught to write right handed in school, etc...whereas, once they 'try' left handed, they become much more proficient!
so yes, either, serious eye training needed, or learn to shoot left handed!
are you sure your son is right handed? I understand a lot of left eye dominant people are inherently left handed, but were just wrongly taught to write right handed in school, etc...whereas, once they 'try' left handed, they become much more proficient!
so yes, either, serious eye training needed, or learn to shoot left handed!
Thanks gents, this is really helpful advice. He even struggles to shut his left eye, so I'm thinking that teaching him to shoot left-handed may be the only option. Perhaps I'll try him with an eye patch and if that doesn't work, then move to teaching him left-handed.
Wingers243
Well-Known Member
All sorts of options are available to deal with it but the biggest thing here is that your son is only 6 and you allow him to take the gun to the most natural shoulder. I really wouldn't worry about it as his eye dominance might well change over time to match his handedness. fit of the gun will important too as the dimensions of youngsters are not in the same proportion as adults and that is vitally important.
Quite useful articles about it here so I need not say more. http://www.positiveshooting.com/EyeDominanceMain.html
http://www.positiveshooting.com/YoungShotsMain.html
Quite useful articles about it here so I need not say more. http://www.positiveshooting.com/EyeDominanceMain.html
http://www.positiveshooting.com/YoungShotsMain.html
limulus
Well-Known Member
Im also right handed but left eye dominant and have no problem shooting rifle or shotgun.
buy him a cheap microscope and get him to use it with his left eye whilst drawing what he sees with his right hand (both eyes open)
when shooting a shotgun eye (hehe, see what I did then) close my left eye immediately prior to the shot and, on incoming birds, just pull through the tail, head, blot it out, pull the trigger.
buy him a cheap microscope and get him to use it with his left eye whilst drawing what he sees with his right hand (both eyes open)
when shooting a shotgun eye (hehe, see what I did then) close my left eye immediately prior to the shot and, on incoming birds, just pull through the tail, head, blot it out, pull the trigger.
fangler
Well-Known Member
a good friend of mine is cross dominant; right handed and shoots left handed shot gun- but shoots right handed rifle. he's a pretty damn good shot (shotgun) but was apparently rubbish when shooting off the right. i'd say to start getting him mounting on the left with a shotgun asap it is far easier as a young un to settle into it.
does your lad have eye problems in his right eye at all that you know of? i only ask as you say getting him to shut his left eye is hard.
does your lad have eye problems in his right eye at all that you know of? i only ask as you say getting him to shut his left eye is hard.
Thanks gents and not that I know of fangler. I did a very brief test on him this evening and he does seem to be left eye dominant, pointing at something and using his left eye, with both hands. I have an eye patch on the way and will also try him left handed. I caught him strumming a guitar left handed a few weeks back and although the missus insists he's right handed (she's a teacher and tried him writing left-handed, so knows he definitely writes right-handed), perhaps he does have a tendency towards his left for certain things. Indeed, isn't Phil Mickelson right-handed, but plays golf left-handed? Didn't do him any harm 
I shall give the lad a try with the eye patch and left-handed over the weekend and see what happens.
I shall give the lad a try with the eye patch and left-handed over the weekend and see what happens.
jon2
Well-Known Member
I am right handed and left eye dominant and when my dad realised this (when I was 6/7), the advice given to him was to have me start shooting left handed. I did for what seems like 6 months or so (but couldn't tell you exactly how long) and just couldn't take to it even at that early age.
I would not recommend going down this route. It is a big ask for a youngster and could put him off shooting. It took a lot of the enjoyment out if it for me at the time. I can vividly remember it now and I am 42!
It's not a problem with rifle shooting. An eye patch would possibly work but speaking from the very same exact experience I just got used to making sure my left eye was closed. In fact I remember at the time it was such a luxury doing that as opposed to going back to shooting left handed. I then soon after got into shotgun shooting and I was just used to closing my left eye. It was never an issue for me there after. I'm still aware of it but I would coach your son to ensure his left eye is closed and or eye patch. I then wouldn't worry about it any further. He will be absolutely fine and not disadvantaged in my opinion.
I would not recommend going down this route. It is a big ask for a youngster and could put him off shooting. It took a lot of the enjoyment out if it for me at the time. I can vividly remember it now and I am 42!
It's not a problem with rifle shooting. An eye patch would possibly work but speaking from the very same exact experience I just got used to making sure my left eye was closed. In fact I remember at the time it was such a luxury doing that as opposed to going back to shooting left handed. I then soon after got into shotgun shooting and I was just used to closing my left eye. It was never an issue for me there after. I'm still aware of it but I would coach your son to ensure his left eye is closed and or eye patch. I then wouldn't worry about it any further. He will be absolutely fine and not disadvantaged in my opinion.
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jon2
Well-Known Member
I posted my reply before reading what others have posted but I see others have recommended an eye patch too. Good call. Personally I wouldn't bother trying him left handed though. Or if you do I wouldn't make a big deal about it or push him down this route.
My ten year old daughter shoots 6m air pistol now at the local rifle and pistol club and has started to use an eye patch over her left eye and she is right handed and right eye dominant so not a bad idea in any case.
My ten year old daughter shoots 6m air pistol now at the local rifle and pistol club and has started to use an eye patch over her left eye and she is right handed and right eye dominant so not a bad idea in any case.
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bewsher500
Well-Known Member
At 6 I would not be going for the left handed route
eye dominance changes through puberty and adolescence are very common
I would try him on blacked out sunglasses first, or get him a Jack Sparrow hat to go with a patch if he is struggling
my eye dominance changed from pure right to pure left and back again when i was about 19
although it is not as strong on the right now and doing the arms length finger test does not produce anything truly conclusive now!!
retraining to shoot rifles left handed is one thing but shotguns is another IMO
you can train dominance. it won't be pleasant and takes a lot of patch/blacked out glasses wearing
I wouldn't want to get him shooting left handed and then see his eye dominance change once the hormones kick in!!
eye dominance changes through puberty and adolescence are very common
I would try him on blacked out sunglasses first, or get him a Jack Sparrow hat to go with a patch if he is struggling
my eye dominance changed from pure right to pure left and back again when i was about 19
although it is not as strong on the right now and doing the arms length finger test does not produce anything truly conclusive now!!
retraining to shoot rifles left handed is one thing but shotguns is another IMO
you can train dominance. it won't be pleasant and takes a lot of patch/blacked out glasses wearing
I wouldn't want to get him shooting left handed and then see his eye dominance change once the hormones kick in!!
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
As above but wait a while - eyes do settle down. If left eye dominant easy enough to shoot off the left shoulder and that will always be the best route. I'm cross dominant and so is my daughter. She is now a really good shot from her left shoulder on clays, even though she is right handed. Shooting is a two handed affair, and indeed with a shotgun the front hand is the one that does the aiming. With a bit of training the weak hand can do surprising things - just look at any musician playing an instrument.
My son is left handed, naturally shoots left handed and has a right master eye, and its never been a problem with shotguns, he has a straight stocked o/u and as the chap at the clay shoot said on his first outing is a natural, he got a few less than me. 
Enjoyment and practice is the key.
Enjoyment and practice is the key.Similar threads
