Are you right-eye or left-eye dominant?

Do you know whether you are right-eye or left-eye dominant?  In general, eye dominance goes along with handedness. In other words, left-handed people are more likely to be left eye dominant while right-handed people are more likely to be right eye dominant. But there are many exceptions to this rule. For example, according to one study, about 35% of right-handers and 57% of left-handers are left eye dominant.

Most people automatically use their dominant eye when looking through a camera eyehole, microscope or a telescope. Studies show that eye dominance can affect a person’s performance in sports, photography, and other activities. In fact, several sports organizations encourage their athletes to adjust their performance based on their dominant eye—for example, pitchers in baseball and golfers may favor one side of their bodies over the other. 

You can check which eye is dominant with a simple test.  

1.  Extend your arms in front of you with your palms facing away.

2.  Bring your hands together, forming a small hole by crossing the thumbs and forefingers.

3.  Choose a small object about 20 feet away from you. With both eyes open, focus on the object as you look through the small hole.

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

5.  If the object does not move when you cover one eye, then that eye is dominant. The eye that sees the object and does not move is the dominant eye.

        Eye dominance should not be overlooked in children. In some cases, very strong eye dominance could lead to a condition known as amblyopia (more commonly known as “lazy eye”).  Amblyopia is commonly caused by one eye being unable to focus as well as the other. Childhood amblyopia typically develops when there is loss of clear vision due to nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism and this occurs in only one eye. The child’s brain, in response, will focus on using the “better” eye to see more clearly and not “use” the lazy eye. This will result in decreased visual acuity and often requires treatment by patching the good eye completely to force the amblyopic eye to work. This is why children must have had a thorough eye examination by the time they turn five years of age.