Hi

i have noticed that some people close one eye or have both eyes open. Is there any advantage to having both eyes open.

FinnishPower

For me is seems to cause less fatigue on the last banks of animals, use a eye blind for the left eye.

Yep, learn with both open. Balance is improved, target acquisition is quicker, fatigue reduced. (I spot with left eye.)

Some say that keeping both eyes open lets in more light, but the main reason for me is fatigue. Tried a shade, but it irritated more than it helped.

FinnishPower

There are several advantages to shooting with both eyes open. First is the fatigue factor. Closing one eye (usually the non-dominate eye) requires an additional effort both mental and physical.

You are accustomed to having both eyes open and the closing of one is a conscious act and as well it affects your depth of field, which is essentially non existent. This also affects your balance or equilibrium to some extent.

Closing one eye also results in some changing of the dilatation of the pupil of the eye which is closed. Note: as Dawg mentions, a blinder may be used but it should be light colored or translucent to let light through to minimize the amount of dilatation. It also should be non-reflective to minimize glare. We put magic tape on shooting glasses for the kids, which lets light through but covers the non-shooting (non-dominate) eye. Usually the tape may be removed later as the shooter gets accustomed to shooting with both eyes open.

There are numerous other reasons and discussions justifying learning to shoot with both eyes open but to coin an old phrase,

The Olympic Team members are taught to either shoot with both eyes open, or use a opaque "blinder" if they must. The thought is that the mind is used to seeing light from both eyes and should you either shut one or use a black "blinder" it causes the brain to use some of its problem solving potential to deal with the abnormality, thus reducing your ability to get the correct shot of.

Makes since to me. As AJJ said, learn to shoot with both eyes open.

I just looked at my old Army Marksmanship Unit Manual from the 1960's. The previous replies quote almost word for word what the manual says. I found that I had to use an eye blocker attached to the scope when I used the 36 and 40 power Scopes but when I switched to the fixed 24 power scopes I did not have to use the eye blocker. My balance improved, target aquisition time improved, and I could ignore what my non-dominant eye was doing. I have lots of floaters in my dominant eye and the floaters do not bother me as much using the lower powered scopes. I get in the habit of squinting. I have to tell my self: "Open both eyes wide!" Take these guys' advice. Do what ever it takes to shoot with both eyes open.

Bobby R. Huddleston

well i must say thank you for all of you sharing your knowledge on this topic.

i decided to try out shooting both eyes open in a recent silhouette match and i shot a personal best, during the match i noticed that both my eyes where alot more relaxed, so i will be shooting with both eyes open from now on. But i think i will purchase some shooting glasses and put some light coloured tape on the left lens

thanks again FinnishPower

Finnish Power,
As a note on glasses, yellow tint brightens things in low light, clear tends to change very little, I have not played with the magenta colored much.
Both eyes open is important.

Innocent

FinnishPower

Not LIGHT COLORED TAPE but TRANSLUCENT (cloudy white) MAGIC TAPE.

Gator

Gator,

Why to tell him, all bold and capital like....LMAO

I heard that David Cooperfield got aids from doing magic , does this apply to the tape also?

Man is this a dangerous sport or what.

Hey Dawg - Ya Havin' a slow day?
BTW - Commin' to Georgia?
Gator

Gator,

Yep and nope, seems the powers that be need my undivided attention during that time period, now whether they get it or not is a whole different story.

Just one more for the road"TRANSLUCENT" ain't that supose to be see thru, not cloudy white which is not see thru. But for some strange reason I understand and agree.

The things I learn from here, never cease to amaze me.

LMAO

Transparent= see through Translucent= Opaque........As in:

"His motive for missing the 5 turkey was as transparent as a clean window. Sandbagger......"

"Her eyes were as translucent windows to the soul, her desire for the big Dawg obvious, but held in check just below the surface"........

She's just after me for my Pharr stock, I knowd it

Check, hell lets pay cash and bring this thing to the top