Dominant eye test: what is it

The term "dominant eye" is typically used to refer to the normal visual state where the two eyes work well together and have equal visual acuity. The definition of visual acuity is the sharpness of vision. The dominant eye is when one eye is the "leading" or preferred eye.

A dominant eye test determines which of your eyes is the dominant eye.

How to tell which eye is dominant

Your dominant eye is the one that transmits information about object placement to the visual portion of your brain with a little bit more precision. You can determine your dominant eye by doing this easy visual field test:

Extend your arms in front of you while making a triangle shape with your fingers. With both eyes open, center this triangle around a distant object, such as a painting on a wall.

Close your left eye, then close your right eye. You can tell which eye is your dominant eye when the object fixed in the triangle remains at the center when the other eye is closed.

Even though they are straightforward to carry out and generally accurate, these dominant eye tests can be impacted by other non-visual factors. Some studies contend that non-sighting dominant eye tests may be a more accurate method to identify eye dominance since they exclude these confounding variables.

During these examinations, the individual keeps both eyes open while specialized optical apparatuses provide visual stimuli to each eye. The technology and experience needed to undertake non-sighting dominant eye examinations are often only found in specialized vision clinics or research centers.

Simple sighting eye tests, such as those mentioned above, will typically correctly identify if you are left or right eye dominant.

Does your dominant eye have better vision?

It's a common misconception that your dominant eye always has better visual acuity than your non-dominant eye. In essence, it simply means that this eye communicates information to your brain's visual cortex more precisely than the other eye. The processing of visual information is done by the brain.

Why should you aim with your dominant eye

You can better your performance in many situations if you are aware of your dominant eye. Aiming with your dominant eye will provide more accuracy in sports like shooting, golf, and archery, including hobbies or professions such as photography and research.

Cross eye dominance: what is it?

Cross-dominant eyes are when your dominant hand and eye are located on different sides of your body. This can make for difficulty in accuracy when it comes to certain activities, like archery, billiards, or even photography.

One way to compensate for cross dominance in activities like archery is to keep both eyes open until right before you take your shot allowing you to fully utilize your depth awareness and peripheral vision. Just before firing, you can make a quick adjustment to better align the arrow with the bowstring by closing your cross-dominant left eye.

Is it rare to be left eye dominant?

Nearly half (around 43%) of people are left-eye dominant. While there is a correlation between eye dominance and handedness, it is hard to predict eye dominance based solely on this. Research has shown that the odds of a right-handed individual having a dominant right eye are almost 2.5 times greater than that person having a dominant left eye, though they are not directly related.