How to Test for the Dominate Eye

The human brain does not treat both eyes equally. In fact, your brain automatically processes nerve signals from one of your eyes faster than the other. This is your "dominant eye," and the speed difference is by design: signals from your other, "weak" eye provide a complementary view, and allow for depth perception.

Knowing which of your eyes is dominant can be useful, especially for activities that involve aiming at a target, such as shooting, archery, basketball or darts.

You can determine which of your eyes is dominant with a few easy steps.

Things You'll Need

• Any visible object
• 10 to 20 feet of space

Instructions

1. Place your object 10 to 20 feet away from you.

2. Holding either hand at arm's length, make a "thumbs up" gesture. Keep both eyes open, and focus on your thumb. Without moving your eyes, look at whatever you placed 10 to 20 feet away from you. Note its location relative to your thumb.

3. Use your other hand to cover first your left, then your right, eye.

   When you look at the background object with one eye, your thumb will appear to jump. When you focus on the background object with your other eye, it will appear to remain still.

   The eye you use when your thumb stays still is your dominant eye.

Tips & Warnings

• The right eye is dominant in approximately 80% of the population.

References

• "Encyclopedia of Human Behavior;" V.S. Ramachandran; 1994