How to Find Your Dominant Eye

How to Find Your Dominant Eye

Published by Lance Kugler, MD on September 18, 2017

At Kugler Vision in Omaha, we know that your dominant eye is the eye that works harder and sends more visual messages to your brain. Typically, the terms “dominant eye” or “ocular dominance” are used to describe the normal vision condition in which both eyes function together and have a relatively equal visual acuity, with one eye as the leading eye.

Two Ways to Find Your Dominant Eye

It’s pretty easy to determine which eye is dominant by using sighting tests. At Kugler Vision, we have our patients follow the steps below:

1. Extend your arms in front of you and create a triangular opening between your thumbs and pointer fingers by placing them together.
2. With both of your eyes open, center this triangle on a distant object, like a clock or picture frame.
3. Close your left eye.
4. If the object stays centered when your left eye is closed, then your right eye (the eye that is open) is your dominant eye. If the object is no longer framed by the triangular opening, your left eye is your dominant eye.

Here is another simple way to find your dominant eye:

1. Keep both eyes open and focused on a distant object, then extend your arm out and point with your index finger or thumb at the object.
2. Alternately close one eye at a time
3. The eye that keeps your finger directly in front of the object while the other eye is closed is your dominant eye.

In most cases, these two sighting tests will accurately identify your dominant eye. If you are having a difficult time identifying your dominant eye through these tests, please contact Kugler Vision to schedule an EyeAnalysisTM eye exam.  

Not Everyone Has A Dominant Eye

It is possible to not have a dominant eye, but it is very uncommon. Some people may have one eye that is very dominant, while others may have less of a difference in the dominance of their two eyes.

Eye Dominance and Hand Dominance Aren’t Necessarily Linked

Eye dominance and handedness are not directly related, but they are significantly associated. According to All About Vision, population studies have shown that about 90 percent of people are right-handed and about 67 percent are right-eye dominant. Despite this research, it is impossible to predict eye dominance based on handedness alone.

It Is Important to Know Which Eye Is Dominant

Your dominant eye is the eye that your brain is wired to favor. In other words, your dominant eye is the one that is primarily relied on for precise positional information, which is especially important in activities that require aim.

Using your dominant eye can help you perform better in activities such as:

• Hunting – improve your shooting accuracy by knowing your dominant eye. Good eye and hand coordination is necessary to be successful. The dominant eye is the eye that looks directly at an object, a crucial factor for accurate shooting. You should shoot left-handed if you have a strong left eye and right-handed if you have a strong right eye.
• Photography – look through the viewfinder with your dominant eye to have a more accurate preview of the shot. If you use your non-dominant eye, certain details you thought you were capturing can be displayed slightly off or completely out of the frame.
• Playing sports – proper alignment is important in sports like baseball, softball, darts, and golf. It’s good to take full advantage of your dominant eye when playing these sports to achieve your best hits by keeping your dominant eye on the ball.

Contact Kugler Vision to Learn More

If you would like to know more information or have additional questions about your dominant eye, please contact Kugler Vision in Omaha, NE at 402.558.2211.

Lance Kugler, MD

Lance Kugler, MD, is a specialist in LASIK and vision correction surgery and CEO of Kugler Vision. A proud Omaha native, he is passionate about improving lives through clear vision. Dr. Kugler serves on several national boards, and his practice is recognized internationally as a center of excellence. Dr. Kugler is one of the original founders of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, an international organization comprised of over 350 of the world’s leading vision correction surgeons; he also served as its first president. In 2019, Dr. Kugler was selected as a TEDx speaker, and delivered a talk in Omaha about the worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness and refractive solutions. Dr. Kugler is an Associate Professor of Refractive Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, has been published in many medical journals, and participates in numerous clinical studies to advance the field of vision correction surgery. Additionally, Dr. Kugler is proud to be a Board Certified Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences. Dr. Kugler and his wife are proud parents to five active kids. When he has a spare moment, he enjoys skiing, tennis, travel, and fine coffee.