Eye Dominance

[Canada Ton]

There's been a few threads talking about eye dominance. I have read about it in the past somewhere but I would like some comments how to find what eye dominance you have. This might help some dart players when talking about it or practising.

[Dartbuggy]

I had already done the test for eye dominance and I am aware of my dominate eye. I throw from in front of my dominate eye. Still, because I could, I did some experiments that really screwed me up for a while. It was a good learning experience for me, but I hesitate to recommend it. I just tried wearing an eye patch over one eye for a good bit and then switching it to the other eye. It was weird seeing my darts land two inches to the side of my aim after switching the patch. I also experienced watching the dart from directly behind. It can do some funky stuff on the way to the board sometimes. I tried sighting directly behind the dart and to the side in both cases. Cool if you give it a go, just don't try before your big match. I prefer the spacial and depth information that can be acquired from using both eyes.

[Dmott]

What I did is line the dart up with the board, or even just look down your finger like its a gun pointing at something. Close one eye and if its still perfectly lined up, the open eye is the dominant eye. If it is now not lined up at all, close the other eye and I bet it corrects itself.

I think that should work.

Or if youve ever shot a rifle, was it natural to close your left eye and use your right eye down the scope? Right handed is probably right eye dominant.

[Shed inn]

Ayup Comrades

Stand in front of board arms outstreched, palms up make a tri angle between thumbs and index finger.
Look at treble 20 both eyes open, then close one eye then the other.
If you lose the target in one eye, the other one is dominant.

Shed

[LesPaul82]

Stand in front of board arms outstreched, palms up make a tri angle between thumbs and index finger.
Look at treble 20 both eyes open, then close one eye then the other.
If you lose the target in one eye, the other one is dominant.

Yep that is the one very valid test. It is indeed a bit scary to find out that you really won´t see anything with your non-dominant eye.

Right handed is probably right eye dominant.

Sorry for the theory craft now. There is no real rule for that. Although the majority of people are right handed and also the majority of people have a right eye dominance, this doesn´t always correlate. Many people such a me have a left eye dominance and are right handed and ofc vice versa. This is called cross dominance. I read that this is believed to be very beneficial for aiming (strange that I suck). On the other hand this seems to strongly depend on the sport. In shooting cross dominance causes big trouble in aligning your dominant eye with the rifle. In darts it might be bad if you cover the dominant eye with your dart in your throwing arm. Here, cross dominance helps. One last thing to be considered is that eye dominance can vary strongly in its intensity. For some people it is very strong for some not. It is again similar to handedness where some people can use both hands equally well naturally. Hope it helped... I could go on for ages but I will release you guys into freedom.

[conanthewarrior]

I'm right handed, and my eye dominance seems to jump. Trying that triangle thing, one minute it will be my left, the next my right. It seems it is my left eye dominant more of the time though.

[Dmott]

Stand in front of board arms outstreched, palms up make a tri angle between thumbs and index finger.
Look at treble 20 both eyes open, then close one eye then the other.
If you lose the target in one eye, the other one is dominant.

Yep that is the one very valid test. It is indeed a bit scary to find out that you really won´t see anything with your non-dominant eye.

Right handed is probably right eye dominant.

Sorry for the theory craft now. There is no real rule for that. Although the majority of people are right handed and also the majority of people have a right eye dominance, this doesn´t always correlate. Many people such a me have a left eye dominance and are right handed and ofc vice versa. This is called cross dominance. I read that this is believed to be very beneficial for aiming (strange that I suck). On the other hand this seems to strongly depend on the sport. In shooting cross dominance causes big trouble in aligning your dominant eye with the rifle. In darts it might be bad if you cover the dominant eye with your dart in your throwing arm. Here, cross dominance helps. One last thing to be considered is that eye dominance can vary strongly in its intensity. For some people it is very strong for some not. It is again similar to handedness where some people can use both hands equally well naturally. Hope it helped... I could go on for ages but I will release you guys into freedom.

Yeah makes sense, thats why I said probably. The only thing my dad does lefty is shoot because he uses his left eye.

[LesPaul82]

I'm right handed, and my eye dominance seems to jump. Trying that triangle thing, one minute it will be my left, the next my right. It seems it is my left eye dominant more of the time though.

Seems you do not have a dominant eye then. Can´t say if that is rather a good thing or might cause trouble. Just out of curiosity... are you righty or lefty? Or did you have problems as a kid to choose which hand to use for writing and other activities? In theory eyes can be even trained to switch dominance, but it is a long long log hard hard hard process that can even then fail still.

[conanthewarrior]

I do everything right handed, apart from eating, I use my knife and fork back to front. It seems my left eye is dominant in the triangle about 70% of the time.

[LesPaul82]

That sounds crazy I would make a DNA check... maybe you are not from earth Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

But seriously, I can imagine it to be confusing while aiming. However, if you do not throw in front of your face and cover one eye then no problem. Good to know but no reason to worry about it.

[conanthewarrior]

Lol i'm pretty sure I'm human. I do aim in front of my face, but i've not noticed an issue if I'm honest. I kind of draw it back to the centre of my face then throw.
I can get it in the general area I want, so I'm fairly happy as I've only been playing for a little while.

[gregedo]

Ayup Comrades

Stand in front of board arms outstreched, palms up make a tri angle between thumbs and index finger.
Look at treble 20 both eyes open, then close one eye then the other.
If you lose the target in one eye, the other one is dominant.

Shed

I knew I was very left eye dominant and with my fingers forming a triangle and the bull (instead of the t20) right at the top, it remains so with my right eye shut, as expected. But when I shut my left eye, the top of the triangle is completely off to the left of the board. I'm right handed so is anyone else this cross dominant? If so, any tips? I get frustrated with the inconsistency of my release and wonder whether my eyes play a part in this?

[ico]

Just another question to ask your opponent before the final... "Are you cross dominant?" Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[LesPaul82]

I knew I was very left eye dominant and with my fingers forming a triangle and the bull (instead of the t20) right at the top, it remains so with my right eye shut, as expected. But when I shut my left eye, the top of the triangle is completely off to the left of the board. I'm right handed so is anyone else this cross dominant? If so, any tips? I get frustrated with the inconsistency of my release and wonder whether my eyes play a part in this?

As stated before. I am cross dominant. To answer your question quickly: Your eyes are most likely not causing any inconsistency problems... at least not while releasing. Releasing is more about muscle memmory. The only way eye dominance could affect your game is that you cover your dominant eye while throwing/aiming. So yes aiming could be affected in this case. It is totally normal that the aim is off to the side when using your non dominant eye in the test. If at all cross dominance is rather advantageous at least for darts. So the only tip is: no matter what do not cover you dominant eye while aiming!

[LionCityDarter]

I don't even throw from my eye :p