Keeping Both Eyes Open

[CJW]

[Old Bob]

Chuck... I used to shoot a lot of 3 gun. Having both eyes open was imperative when running short range stages. When shooting long ranges like 500 meter silhouette or High Power rifle matches, closing my non-dominate eye or using an opaque lens in my shooting glasses didn't seem to matter much fatigue wise. Never really noticed any eye fatigue when shooting long range.

That was when I was younger before cataracts. Now days, after cataract surgery, eye fatigue could be a factor. I was at an indoor range not long ago & found I had to rest my eyes a couple of times during my revolver shooting session. I also found it was hard to keep both eyes open. I know you're approaching my age (75, soon to be 76) so I would suspect you might have had the same problems with your eyes.

When it comes to shooting at whatever distance, do what seems to come natural. MHO...

[CJW]

Thanks Old Bob from young Chuck ( barely 72 years old)

[grayfox]

Ha! you guys make me feel like a spring chicken!!!!

I've done it 1-eye for years and old habit is hard to change.

[ArnoldGilson]

For me, it is better to keep both eyes open when shooting with a rifle with a telescopic sight. When I close one eye, I get a limited field of view, making it harder for me to track moving targets or detect potential threats in my peripheral vision.
Also, shooting with one eye open reduces eye fatigue and strain. But that's my personal opinion.
And there's another factor that I'm a long way from being 76 years old. So maybe in many years my opinion will change.
But in the end, shooting with one or two eyes open is a matter of personal preference and shooting style.

[Fess]

Apparently my dominant eye is not terribly dominant. I learned with one eye closed and have discovered that if I open both eyes, vision sometimes shifts to over the the less obstructed left eye. If I got back to shooting I might try an opaque cover for the left eye, though.

[Double Naught Spy]

Back in my younger years, I studied to become a jeweler. It never worked out, but we were taught that when using a loupe, not to close the eye not looking through the loupe. The purpose was so that you could maintain situational awareness and make sure the person you are dealing with isn't stealing from you while you examine and item under the loupe.

That made perfect sense and it stayed with me. I shoot iron sight pistols and rifles and scoped rifles with both eyes open. In the daytime, it gives me better overall situational awareness. At night, it gives me limited benefit for things in close proximity.

[Klem]

Interesting, theft - never knew that.

Here's another early day story... We used Armson red dot sights on the M79's for close-range delivery. Unlike Aimpoint and EOTech you cannot look through the sight at the target. The idea is to keep both eyes open to superimpose the dot on what your non aiming eye is seeing. Technically both eyes are aiming. You get used to it and it became a habit to shoot with both eyes open. I don't seem to concentrate as much with the off eye however, and it becomes annoying if there's spit out the action from suppressors. With a direct line into the ejection port the off eye seems to cop it more (left-hand shooter).

[Zeneffect]

Interesting Klem. I find a similar situation when running a bubble level + scope. Keeping both eyes open superimposed the bubble level over the sight picture. It's weird but it works. Your focus is on the sight picture but in the peripheral you can see a ghost image and just sense where the bubble is at. Trust that subconcious input, your eye is seeing it, your brain is ignoring it to not overload your conscious mind.

[D.Davis]

fess, In the early days at the trap range after long works days (12 hours +) I had trouble with my eyes switching too.
A piece of 3m tape over the non-dominant eye on the shooting glasses was just enough to stop the switching. You could still see through the tape but it had enough restriction to stop it.