A common misconception among archers is that the right eye is kept closed to help focus the sight on the near target and bring it back to the far one. In reality, this does not occur. Instead, one of the eyes should permanently be shut for accurate shooting due to monocular cueing. Monocular cueing occurs when your dominant eye sends a signal through your optic nerve to your brain that creates a perception of depth.
This signal comprises all sorts of cues, such as angular perspective and convergence. When alternating between an open and a closed eye, monocular cues can create an optical illusion making it seem like sights are closer or further away than they are. The brain does not know the difference between sight A and sight B. It will always assume that they are the same distance away from you, thus causing inaccuracy.
How Shooting An Arrow With One Eye Closed Helps?
Both are functional even though you have one eye closed and one open. This is because our brain can easily distinguish between monocular depth cues with both eyes open. Therefore the trick is to concentrate on the monocular depth cues of your dominant eye and ignore the optical illusion of depth caused by alternating between eyes.
Since you are following your dominant eye’s perception, it is more likely to be more accurate than a mixed signal from both eyes working together. If there are no other objects to be seen, using both eyes will work just fine. Focus on the target as you typically would with two eyes to maintain visual control.
Eye Dominance Matter In Archery?
It is more critical for you to have depth perception than accuracy in a sport like archery. For archers, accuracy depends directly on the total vision. This is why most experienced archers and hunters prefer hunting with both eyes open. We close our dominant eye only because of optical illusion. We do not close our dominant eye to focus on the target.
Because we tend to shoot with our dominant eye open, it is more vital for us to focus on the monocular depth cues of that eye. Visual perception is very accurate for the dominant eye. Using both eyes could potentially miss out on one depth cue and end up with a wrong reading. We use only one eye as a monocular depth cue when shooting an arrow by closing the other. This allows us to have a positive depth perception of near and far targets while using only a single eye.
Can You Shoot An Arrow With Both Eyes Open?
It is possible to shoot an arrow with both eyes open, but it would be more than difficult because you will suffer from vision blur and loss of depth perception that results from monocular cues. If your dominant eye sees a potential target, shut off the other to shoot it accurately.
When releasing the arrow, frequent shooters tend to close both eyes because it is faster than opening them. People do this subconsciously, but in reality, they are not gaining anything. There is no difference between drinking from a cup with one hand or two hands from a time standpoint. Drinking from a cup with one hand does not give you extra time.
Benefits On Why Do Archers Close One Eye In Shooting
Because we use both eyes when shooting with one eye closed, it is essential to well-know the benefits of doing so. The eyes are vital physical organs that receive information that impacts every aspect of our lives. Here are some positives you can look for while hunting with both eyes open:
- Improves Accuracy
The most obvious benefit you can gain by fully opening your eyes as you shoot is better accuracy. Out of hundreds of archers shooting at the same target, only a few claim to have 0 percent missed, while two out of three archers with both eyes open have a lower percentage. In addition, various studies have proven that shooting with both eyes improves accuracy and helps hit targets more frequently.
- Better Depth Perception
Shooting with both eyes open gives you better depth perception. However, the inability to accurately assess distances usually leads to inaccurate shooting, especially when shooting distant targets. There are various types of depth perception, but monocular cues are the most commonly used. Monocular cues allow you to have a positive depth perception of a target and its surroundings even if one eye is closed.
- A More relaxed Viewing Position
Another great benefit of having both eyes open while aiming is your relaxed viewing position. This allows you to focus on other things besides the target because there is no need to concentrate on monocular cues anymore.
With both eyes open, your relaxed viewing position is no longer aimed at the target, but rather it is above or below the target. You can use this relaxed view to spot game and visible obstacles and prepare for possible last-minute shots.
- Are There Any Benefits Of Shooting With Single Open Eye?
There are no benefits of shooting with one eye open instead of both eyes open, yet it is not entirely useless either. One good reason to shoot with a single eye open is to gain full control over the bowstring. For example, if you must shoot the bowstring using one finger and thumb, shooting one eye open will give you better accuracy since the focus will be on the proper alignment of your other fingers and thumb.
You can also have better depth perception because your brain will more likely read depth cues from one eye than from both simultaneously. On top of this, monocular cueing makes for more precise aiming for distance shooting and hunting.
Summary
Shooting with two eyes will cause several problems for you, such as coordination and vision issues. Most right-handed archers close the right eye while shooting because it helps them make a better approach. However, you can try either of these positions at the end of the day, as long as you are comfortable with them.
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