Why keep both eyes open?

[specweldtom]

The habit of closing my left eye (I'm right handed and right eye dominant) is so ingrained that unless I work at it, it's automatic. I had to start practicing rifle shooting with both eyes open years ago. I went to 3 good eye doctors and none could explain what was happening to my right eye. Shooting iron sights with a rear aperture and a globe (or blade) front, the rear aperture got a black, flat-topped half moon shape across the bottom that left only the top 2/3 of the aperture open, like a D laying on its back. The distorted sight picture did not allow a good 6 o'clock hold on a target or center mass on game. I discovered accidentally that opening my left eye rounded up the aperture my right eye was looking through. After some experimenting, I discovered that I had gotten old enough that my right eyelid drooped down enough to cover the top of my right pupil when I closed my left eye. Image inversion caused the eyelid to put the blind segment on the bottom of the aperture. Sounds stupid, but if anyone is seeing this, try it. I bought a set of Knoblochs and put the little black blanking lens in front of my left eye so I could leave it open. I tried pulling my right eyelid wide open with tape, but it looked retarded, and sweat made it turn loose anyhow. Drooping eyelids can be surgically corrected now. When I stopped match shooting, I started closing my left eye again because I can see a full image in a rifle scope.

Bottom line for me is that seeing too much stuff is distracting, so I close my left eye and concentrate only on what's in the scope. I know for many shooting disciplines you need to keep both eyes open, particularly close quarter combat. I've just never had to do it.

This is the most information I've seen on this subject in one place. It occurred to me that my tale of woe might help some other iron sight shooter that is seeing the same thing I did.

Good thread. Tom