How To Identify The Dominant Eye

It is possible to determine which of your eyes is dominant by taking an eye dominance test. Your dominant eye is the one sent slightly more information to your brain. It is also the one that is used naturally when looking into a microscope, telescope, or when studying something.

An eye dominance test, also known as an ocular dominance test, can be used to determine how much dominant vision one has. This information is useful when playing sports, taking photographs, and aiming at a target.

The purpose of this article is to explain how to determine the dominant eye as well as why it is important to identify your dominant eye and when it may be useful to do so.

A method for testing eye dominance

It is possible to test eye dominance at home using various techniques. An eye doctor may also administer eye dominance tests in connection with a physical for certain occupations or military service.

You can identify your dominant eye by taking the Miles Test. Below are instructions for how to administer this self-administered test.

1. Your palms should be facing away from you as you extend your arms in front of you.

2. By crossing the thumbs and forefingers, bring your hands together to form a small hole.

3. Look through the small hole in the box at a small object that is about 15 to 20 feet away from you. Keep both eyes open as you focus on the object.

4. The object will be stationary when you close one eye. When you close the other eye, the object should disappear from the hole or jump to the side.

5. Covering one eye does not affect the object. The dominant eye is the eye that does not move when the other eye is covered.

The following tests can also be performed to determine eye dominance:

• You would perform the Porta test by extending one arm in front of you. While both eyes are open, align your thumb or index finger with a distant object. Alternately closing one eye to determine which eye is viewing the object.

• The Dolman test involves holding a card with a hole in both hands and looking at an object in the distance. After alternately closing both eyes, the eye which sees the object will be the dominant eye.

• A convergence near-point test consists of focusing both eyes on a distance of about an arm’s length away, then bringing the object closer until only one eye is able to focus on it. Your dominant eye is the one that can see the object clearly.

The importance of eye dominance

A person’s dominant eye is not medically significant, and it may not make a difference to their daily lives. Most people instinctively use their dominant eye for things like reading, watching TV, and writing.

• Using a microscope

• Looking through a telescope

• Performing other tasks that involve closing one eye

For careers, sports, and hobbies requiring accurate aim, knowing which eye is dominant is extremely helpful. Examples include:

• Having a dominant eye can assist with accuracy in archery, hunting, and marksmanship. You will not be able to reach your target if you attempt to aim with your non-dominant eye. Shoot with the hand that matches your dominant eye. For example, if your dominant eye is your left, you should use your left hand when shooting, and vice versa.

• In sports such as baseball and golf, it is important to be accurate with your aim. Using the dominant eye when hitting the ball is crucial for accuracy.

• When looking through your camera’s viewfinder with your dominant eye, you may see some details that will end up outside the final image frame if you do not use your dominant eye when looking through the viewfinder. You will be able to capture the image you see through your camera’s viewfinder if you look through it with your dominant eye.

As with monovision contact lenses, eye dominance is also an important consideration, because monovision employs two different strengths of contact lenses — one for distance vision and one for near vision. This reduces the need for reading glasses and bifocals.

Connection between dominant hand and dominant eye

The most common interpretation of eye dominance is that it correlates with handedness. In other words, left-handed individuals are more likely to have dominant left eyes, while right-handed individuals are more likely to have dominant right eyes. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

It has been found that 70% to 90% of people have the same dominant hand as their dominant eye, and that 10% to 30% of people have cross-dominant hands and eyes. 85% to 90% of the population are right-handed, which means that the right eye is the most common dominant eye.

Athletes at high levels and professionals are more likely to experience cross-dominance, including:

• 53% of soccer players

• 52.5% of golfers

• 51% of those playing team sports

• 42% of tennis players

While 82% of higher-performing athletes have identical dominant hands and eyes in sports such as archery and target shooting that require aim.

Is it possible not to have a dominant eye?

An individual with balanced eyes will be able to use either eye when performing tasks in which most people use a dominant eye. 4 It is rare for an individual to have balanced eyes, which means neither one is dominant.

Many individuals, however, have a variation of dominance between their dominant eyes. For example, you might have one eye that is only slightly more dominant than the other, or you might have one eye that is significantly more dominant than the other.

A combination of ocular dominance may also be present, in which one eye may be preferred for certain tasks while the other is preferred for others.

In summary

The dominant eye is one that transmits the greatest amount of information to the brain. Depending on which of your eyes is dominant, you can use a simple at-home test to determine which one is more dominant. Some people may have one eye that is more dominant than the other.

In the end, it does not matter which eye is dominant, but it is worth taking a moment to determine which eye you naturally favor. Using your dominant eye to aim or look through a viewfinder can improve your accuracy when participating in certain sports or professions.