cake Report post Posted May 8, 2018 Is it possible to change eye dominance? If one can't change eye dominance (from one eye to the other) - is it possible to make a dominant eye LESS dominant and enhance the "strength" of the other eye? I've asked several people including optometrists, ophthalmologists, retina surgeons, and a neurosurgeon. All said eye dominance cannot be changed EXCEPT the neurosurgeon. He suggested that putting a patch over the dominant eye for an hour daily would force the brain to recalibrate and "strengthen" the other eye. Is there a downside to this method? He said they don't do this in children with a "lazy" eye because their brain will ignore the covered eye and it creates a different problem. But in adults it's a different (and potentially positive) result. It would seem this is a "brain" issue - not an "eye" issue, but I'm interested in opinions from those with medical training. Thanks in advance for weighing in... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHADW Report post Posted May 8, 2018 Very interesting, what’s your goal? Hopefully you didn’t lose a very large bet... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 8, 2018 Very interesting, what’s your goal? Hopefully you didn’t lose a very large bet...LOL^ nah...nothing to do with a bet.... Left eye is dominant. Vision in left eye was always slightly better than the right. Now the right eye has better vision - but the left eye constantly tries to "take over" (worst when I'm really tired). My goal is to train my brain to rely more upon the right eye - thereby reducing or eliminating the annoyance that comes from my left eye taking charge which means a momentary decrease in visual acuity. When I shoot shotgun (sporting clays is my fave) I have a small patch on my glasses that blocks my left eye once my cheek is on the stock. I use both eyes to acquire the target (shotgun is not mounted). If I don't block the left eye - I see "double" (double gun barrel, double target, etc) as soon as my cheek comes to the stock (because at that point my right eye is looking straight down the barrel and the left eye tries to "take over"). The left eye is dominant enough that it must be blocked. I've read that people who shoot professionally (or are "serious") will change shoulders before putting a patch to block one eye. This means if you are right handed and left eye dominant - you'll shoot using your left hand so your dominant eye can be on the barrel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmr Report post Posted May 8, 2018 My daughter has amblyopia so she has to patch the good eye a few hours a day so the other eye can develop more. It has worked quite well but she is also only 6. Not sure if its possible later in life though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 8, 2018 My daughter has amblyopia so she has to patch the good eye a few hours a day so the other eye can develop more. It has worked quite well but she is also only 6. Not sure if its possible later in life though.thanks and best of luck with your daughter! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankD Report post Posted May 8, 2018 I hate to disagree with the neurosurgeon but I do not believe that 1 hour of patching will charge how your brain is wired. We have a pediatric eye specialist in our practice that works with amblyopic children all the time. Once you pass a certain age, you are truly hard wired and unless you complete lose all neural input from you dominant eye, it's next to impossible to improve the non-dominant side.....it's called neuro-suppression. Penalization therapy ie patching, atropine drops, ect usually involves more than 1 hour/day unless the amblyopia is very mild.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 8, 2018 FrankD - thank you for your honest opinion. As stated by another member via PM - our brain plasticity significantly declines with age. It would seem there is support for your position. He suggested I consult with an neuro-Opthamalogist. Thanks all for the replies. Greatly appreciated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LSV Report post Posted May 9, 2018 Cake - what's the end game here? Does it have to do with driving? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyeDoc Report post Posted May 9, 2018 EyeDoc here: no you cannot change eye dominance. Eye exercises do not change dominance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheelsRCool Report post Posted May 10, 2018 I don't know if one can literally change eye dominance, but I would say one can definitely make the other eye very proficient and equally shared with the other eye for dominance. I say this because I have done it. I have for years had sort of an obsession with making both sides ambidextrous, arms, hands, legs, and eyes. This has resulted in that I have been able to make the left eye the first eye that "takes over" on things as opposed to the right eye, even though I am naturally right eye-dominant. That said, the right eye is still more hardwired, where if I let it, it will easily take over again, whereas the left eye requires constant practice to keep it proficient. So my experience is that you can reduce the tendency of the dominant eye to dominate, but you will not be able to change the hard-wiring. You will need to keep the other eye practiced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurf Balls Report post Posted May 10, 2018 I don't know 'nough said...fcuking wheels Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheelsRCool Report post Posted May 10, 2018 'nough said...fcuking wheels Cake said that she talked to multiple experts and got two opinions. I was giving my own experience on the issue after much practice with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhbchess Report post Posted May 10, 2018 I have for years had sort of an obsession with making both sides ambidextrous, arms, hands, legs, and eyes. This has resulted in that I have been able to make the left eye the first eye that "takes over" on things as opposed to the right eye, even though I am naturally right eye-dominant. I can only think of this now... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 11, 2018 Cake - what's the end game here? Does it have to do with driving?see post #3 - in a nutshell having to do with shooting, and I would include driving, and just “life”. It’s annoying and I literally see it happening when the left eye dominates, and if there is a way for me to reduce the frequency (even if I can’t eliminate it) - it would be worth the effort. EyeDoc here: no you cannot change eye dominance. Eye exercises do not change dominance.Thank you EyeDoc. That’s what I was afraid.... I don't know if one can literally change eye dominance, .... So my experience is that you can reduce the tendency of the dominant eye to dominate, but you will not be able to change the hard-wiring. You will need to keep the other eye practiced. Thanks for sharing your experience. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 11, 2018 I can only think of this now... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supercar Ace Report post Posted May 11, 2018 I can only think of this now... This is the most fascinatingly random thread of 2018...I literally have no idea what eye is dominant but now I kinda want to test it out... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortis Report post Posted May 12, 2018 How do you know which one is dominant? I cover one eye at the time and I virtually see the same with both, can’t tell the difference, are both my eyes screwed up equally ? LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankD Report post Posted May 12, 2018 How do you know which one is dominant? I cover one eye at the time and I virtually see the same with both, can’t tell the difference, are both my eyes screwed up equally ? LOL Hold your arms outstretched and cup your hands together to form a small hole to look thru. Pick a distance image and center it thru the small opening formed by cupping your hands together. Close one eye at a time......you will automatically sight to your dominate side. When you close that eye, you won't see the image. The vast majority of right eyed people are right eye and left brain dominate. Left handed people as a percentage are more likely to be cross dominate. Still, most left handed people are left eye dominate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supercar Ace Report post Posted May 12, 2018 Hold your arms outstretched and cup your hands together to form a small hole to look thru. Pick a distance image and center it thru the small opening formed by cupping your hands together. Close one eye at a time......you will automatically sight to your dominate side. When you close that eye, you won't see the image. The vast majority of right eyed people are right eye and left brain dominate. Left handed people as a percentage are more likely to be cross dominate. Still, most left handed people are left eye dominate. HOLY $HIT I"M A LEFT EYE So I'm right handed, but left eyed... I'm not sure what to do with this knowledge, but I feel like I just learned something randomly cool while doing something that simultaneously made me feel silly and blowing my mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortis Report post Posted May 12, 2018 Hold your arms outstretched and cup your hands together to form a small hole to look thru. Pick a distance image and center it thru the small opening formed by cupping your hands together. Close one eye at a time......you will automatically sight to your dominate side. When you close that eye, you won't see the image. The vast majority of right eyed people are right eye and left brain dominate. Left handed people as a percentage are more likely to be cross dominate. Still, most left handed people are left eye dominate. How much do I owe you for this new party trick ?? I can see it with my right eye, when I close my right the image I see with my left eye isn’t centered in the cup of my hands. I am right handed. Another thing I discovered is that I can not close my right eye and have my left open so I had one of my kids help me with the experiment covering my right eye haha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cake Report post Posted May 12, 2018 Thanks FrankD for the all the input (here and PM). For those with “blown minds” - yeah it’s pretty cool to understand how one eye dominates. I first learned about dominant eye when I began shotgun sports (specifically sporting clays). My score went up dramatically when I learned I was left eye dominant but shooting right handed (with right eye sighting down the barrel). Anyone who shoots shotgun will understand. I don’t know if there are people with no eye dominance - or if everyone has one eye that is dominant (even to a small degree) over the other eye. Having cross dominance isn’t a big deal other than for something like shooting. If I don’t obscure my left eye with a patch, once my cheek in on the stock - I will see double (two barrels, two clay birds, etc). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smash Boy Report post Posted May 12, 2018 HOLY $HIT I"M A LEFT EYE So I'm right handed, but left eyed... I'm not sure what to do with this knowledge, but I feel like I just learned something randomly cool while doing something that simultaneously made me feel silly and blowing my mind. I'm the same, but J....there can only be one Left Eye. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supercar Ace Report post Posted May 12, 2018 I'm the same, but J....there can only be one Left Eye. I suppose... I'm still looking at this thread like Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman Report post Posted May 13, 2018 I'm the same, but J....there can only be one Left Eye. She’s dead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smash Boy Report post Posted May 14, 2018 She’s dead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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