Need help double vision

nj94supratt · January 21, 2006, 12:15 PM

Hey guys

I just started the police academy and I have been shooting more. I usually shoot with my left eye closed and do okay for a beginner. I have been trying to shoot with both eyes open because I believe I will have to for the test. I am right eye dom and right handed. When I take a stance and focus at the front sight I see two targets and two rear sight that are very close. If I put a small piece of tape or something over my left eye everything is fine but I dont thing I'll be able to do that. Also when I just try to focus on the gun when it is out in front of me I still get a double vision. I can foucus on the front sight but I still pick up a side view of the gun from my left eye.

Any help or advice would be great
Thanks
matt

NDTerminator · January 21, 2006, 01:26 PM

Don't try to focus on both sights and the target, as it's not possible. Concentrate & focus on your front sight. Your rear sight will be slightly out of focus, your front sight will be clear as a bell, and your target slightly out of focus behind it.

The axiom we teach all our officers is "find your front sight". It's heard so often on our range it sounds like a mantra...

Skyguy · January 21, 2006, 02:05 PM

Quote:

When I take a stance and focus at the front sight I see two targets and two rear sight that are very close. If I put a small piece of tape or something over my left eye everything is fine but I dont thing I'll be able to do that. Also when I just try to focus on the gun when it is out in front of me I still get a double vision. I can foucus on the front sight but I still pick up a side view of the gun from my left eye.

Sounds like you've got a slight eye muscle imbalance....akin to being cross-eyed.

"Cross-eyed is defined as a condition in which the eyes deviate (turn) when looking at the object of regard.
The object of regard would be the target that you aim your eyes toward and look at."

See an opthamologist.

cscoios · January 21, 2006, 02:24 PM

I agree with ND.

I have trouble with follow up shots with both eyes open, slight loss of focus until the front sight becomes centered again.

Skyguy · January 21, 2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

I have trouble with follow up shots with both eyes open, slight loss of focus until the front sight becomes centered again.

That should NOT happen. You probably have eye muscle weakness in one or both eyes.

Unnoticed vision problems surface quite often in target practice.

See an opthamologist.

Cmu_Sniper · January 21, 2006, 03:38 PM

I have the same problem. I have a week muscle on my left eye, which my doctor says can be fixed with laser surgery. However I can control it easily. Everyone is right, you are focusing on to many things. Focus on the front sights and you wont have any problems.

nj94supratt · January 21, 2006, 05:46 PM

I have never been cross eyed as far as i know but it seems like my dom eye either isnt taking over or my left eye is also strong. or they both suck. If i put anything in front of my left eye while i hold up the gun I see everything
fine. front sight target etc.

I found some sights that talk about the problem and said to put some transpar tape on my left lense so my right eye learns to take over then slowly take away tape.

I'll try anything at this point

thanks
matt

NDTerminator · January 21, 2006, 06:18 PM

We see all kinds of eye problems on the range, and you can work through this.
If all else fails, sight with one eye...

The tough one is previously undetected cross dominance. My son is right handed with left eye dominance. Fortunately we detected it when he was five while shooting archery, and switched him over to left hand shooting. He quickly learned to shoot left handed, and hasn't had a problem shooting any weapon since.

Try this with a rookie officer who has not been corrected in 21+ years.

I would love to see you working uniformed patrol with your eye scotch taped shut, though...

Good luck, you can lick this problem...

nj94supratt · January 21, 2006, 06:41 PM

I could always get a cool patch. that would be intimidating.

Skyguy · January 21, 2006, 07:34 PM

Anyone who trains new shooters should check for the dominant eye. It's most fundamental. Here's the drill:

Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle between your thumbs and your first knuckles.

With both eyes open, look through the triangle and center something such as a doorknob or the bullseye of a target in the triangle.

Close your left eye. If the object remains in view, you are right eye dominant.

Close your right eye. If the object remains in view, you are left eye dominant.

Right eye dominant people should shoot right-handed. Left eye dominant people should shoot left-handed.
.

stever · January 22, 2006, 07:40 AM

If you have simultaneous double vision of images both in front of the sight and behind the sight this is called physiological diplopia (double vision) and is normal for everyone even though most people do not notice it. (Hold a finger about twelve inches away and another finger about six inches in front of the first finger and look at one of the fingers. You should see double of the other finger. Now look at the other finger and you should see two of the first finger.) Each eye sees an image and the brain overlaps the two images to give us sharper acuity and stereopsis (depth perception). If you have double vision of everything including the front sight this is could be more serious and needs to be evaluated.

nj94supratt · January 22, 2006, 08:36 AM

What you said is what happens to me. When I look at one the other is double. To translate that to shooting when i focus on the front sight I see two targets in the distance. So is there some training I can do to get my eyes to focus on both.

Skyguy · January 22, 2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

To translate that to shooting when i focus on the front sight I see two targets in the distance. So is there some training I can do to get my eyes to focus on both.

The reason for shooting with both eyes is to see the target 'and' the sight clearly. One eye lines up with the sight and the other eye lines up with the target....and both are comparatively clear. Neither eye wanders. There should be no double vision!

You see double because you have eye muscle problems. Period.

The quick solution to your double vision problem is to shoot with one eye.
The probability of you becoming a cop and then using your sights at distance in a shootout are infinitesimal if not zero.

There are solutions; shoot with one eye, eye exercises, therapy, surgery and a laser sight system.

See an opthomologist.

January 21, 2006, 12:15 PM	#1
nj94supratt Junior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Posts: 11	Need help double vision Hey guys I just started the police academy and I have been shooting more. I usually shoot with my left eye closed and do okay for a beginner. I have been trying to shoot with both eyes open because I believe I will have to for the test. I am right eye dom and right handed. When I take a stance and focus at the front sight I see two targets and two rear sight that are very close. If I put a small piece of tape or something over my left eye everything is fine but I dont thing I'll be able to do that. Also when I just try to focus on the gun when it is out in front of me I still get a double vision. I can foucus on the front sight but I still pick up a side view of the gun from my left eye. Any help or advice would be great Thanks matt

January 21, 2006, 01:26 PM	#2
NDTerminator Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Posts: 59	Don't try to focus on both sights and the target, as it's not possible. Concentrate & focus on your front sight. Your rear sight will be slightly out of focus, your front sight will be clear as a bell, and your target slightly out of focus behind it. The axiom we teach all our officers is "find your front sight". It's heard so often on our range it sounds like a mantra... __________________ To my great mortification, my father once told me; "you care nothing but for dogs, shooting, and rat catching, you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family" Charles Darwin

January 21, 2006, 06:18 PM	#8
NDTerminator Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Posts: 59	We see all kinds of eye problems on the range, and you can work through this. If all else fails, sight with one eye... The tough one is previously undetected cross dominance. My son is right handed with left eye dominance. Fortunately we detected it when he was five while shooting archery, and switched him over to left hand shooting. He quickly learned to shoot left handed, and hasn't had a problem shooting any weapon since. Try this with a rookie officer who has not been corrected in 21+ years. I would love to see you working uniformed patrol with your eye scotch taped shut, though... Good luck, you can lick this problem... __________________ To my great mortification, my father once told me; "you care nothing but for dogs, shooting, and rat catching, you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family" Charles Darwin Last edited by NDTerminator; January 22, 2006 at 09:40 AM.

January 21, 2006, 07:34 PM	#10
Skyguy Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2005 Posts: 266	Anyone who trains new shooters should check for the dominant eye. It's most fundamental. Here's the drill: Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle between your thumbs and your first knuckles. With both eyes open, look through the triangle and center something such as a doorknob or the bullseye of a target in the triangle. Close your left eye. If the object remains in view, you are right eye dominant. Close your right eye. If the object remains in view, you are left eye dominant. Right eye dominant people should shoot right-handed. Left eye dominant people should shoot left-handed. . __________________ First off.....'she' is a weapon, not a girlfriend; a genderless, inanimate mechanism designed to mete out mayhem in life threatening situations.

January 21, 2006, 02:24 PM	#4
cscoios Member Join Date: November 19, 2005 Posts: 84	I agree with ND. I have trouble with follow up shots with both eyes open, slight loss of focus until the front sight becomes centered again.

January 21, 2006, 03:38 PM	#6
Cmu_Sniper Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 181	I have the same problem. I have a week muscle on my left eye, which my doctor says can be fixed with laser surgery. However I can control it easily. Everyone is right, you are focusing on to many things. Focus on the front sights and you wont have any problems.

January 21, 2006, 05:46 PM	#7
nj94supratt Junior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Posts: 11	I have never been cross eyed as far as i know but it seems like my dom eye either isnt taking over or my left eye is also strong. or they both suck. If i put anything in front of my left eye while i hold up the gun I see everything fine. front sight target etc. I found some sights that talk about the problem and said to put some transpar tape on my left lense so my right eye learns to take over then slowly take away tape. I'll try anything at this point thanks matt

January 21, 2006, 06:41 PM	#9
nj94supratt Junior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Posts: 11	I could always get a cool patch. that would be intimidating.

January 22, 2006, 07:40 AM	#11
stever Member Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 19	If you have simultaneous double vision of images both in front of the sight and behind the sight this is called physiological diplopia (double vision) and is normal for everyone even though most people do not notice it. (Hold a finger about twelve inches away and another finger about six inches in front of the first finger and look at one of the fingers. You should see double of the other finger. Now look at the other finger and you should see two of the first finger.) Each eye sees an image and the brain overlaps the two images to give us sharper acuity and stereopsis (depth perception). If you have double vision of everything including the front sight this is could be more serious and needs to be evaluated.

January 22, 2006, 08:36 AM	#12
nj94supratt Junior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Posts: 11	What you said is what happens to me. When I look at one the other is double. To translate that to shooting when i focus on the front sight I see two targets in the distance. So is there some training I can do to get my eyes to focus on both.