There is a concept that some of us are often introduced to in a setting that involves an optician or some sports activities, among others, which refers to one of the eyes as being dominant. Many people believe that the eye that has better vision is also the one that is dominant but that is just a widespread myth. The only meaning of one eye being dominant is that the specific eye is able to pass on visual information more efficiently and accurately to the visual cortex in the brain compared to the other. The visual information is then processed by the cortex and there are clusters of neurons present in it that react differently to the input they receive from a particular eye. This preference does not determine visual acuity but the dominance of one eye over the other.
Different Levels And Kinds Of Eye Dominance
In simpler terms, the non-dominant eye has fewer neural connections while the dominant one is better connected to the brain. Most people have some sort of dominance of one eye, even in cases when the difference is really subtle. There are also cases in which no particular dominance is observed in any of the eyes, but in all likelihood, the split in that case is between different visual tasks in which one eye has an edge over the other. So basically the more powerful functions are taking turns for each eye and this is referred to as mixed ocular dominance. Also, most of the people have the level of eye dominance spread over a spectrum ranging from very slight dominance to high dominance. A high level of dominance can also cause various visual issues and conditions that may need to be treated with an eye medications list, drops or surgery.
Dominant Hand vs Dominant Eye
Some people also think that having a preferred or dominant hand matches the dominance in terms of eyes. However, about 90% people have their right hand as the preferred one but only about 67% have their right eye as the dominant one. So, one cannot be used for predicting the other all the time. Studies have been conducted on the matter that report the dominant right eye to occur in right handed people more often (it is 2.5 times more probable) but people with a dominant left eye are also right handed in many cases or the other way around.
There are two hemispheres comprising the brain, a right and a left one. A person’s left hemisphere controls the right hand along with the writing, speech and communication. The right side of the brain manages creativity, imagination and the left hand. Considering the role of these two hemispheres with regards to vision, both sides are responsible for controlling the two eyes but each hemisphere manages a half of the overall field of vision, while controlling a half of the retinas in both the eyes. This also clarifies that the preferred hand and dominant eye do not have any direct connection whatsoever.
Eye Dominance And Sports
Sportsmen who have a dominant left eye while being right handed or vice versa (also called cross dominance) are considered to have a success factor in a side on stance as required in sports like golf, cricket or baseball. There are other sports as well where knowing your dominant eye can help you position your head efficiently and have an edge like archery or shooting. Just as aforementioned, visual acuity and dominance do not have to be related at all. People who wear glasses or contact lenses and know one of the eyes is weaker according to the prescription may not translate into dominance as well. There are other tests for checking dominance.
Testing For Eye Dominance
You can check dominance by picking an object that is at a distance of 5 meters or more and start looking at it. Next, hold out your hands and make a small gap between the hands after overlapping the fingers. Now raise the hands and look at the object you picked through the gap. Alternate between the two eyes, looking at the object with one eye and then the other. You have to keep holding the hands without moving them while closing the eyes alternatively. You will be able to see the object with one eye through the gap while it will become hidden from the other. One of the eyes will remain open without any effort and you will be able to see the object through it. This is the dominant one while the other is non-dominant.
Eye dominance can impact different activities in our daily lives, like people who are into photography really need to know which eye is dominant for them. The dominant eye helps them align their professional camera shots and many people do this instinctively. However, eye dominance can also lead to eye conditions like strabismus or amblyopia in certain extreme cases. These conditions may be treated with eye drops, eye patches or surgery.