Have you heard the terms “dominant eye” but aren’t sure what they mean or how you perform the test? Here’s a simple dominant eye test on how to find your dominant eye. These few easy steps would help to solve most of your curious questions related to vision that you might not came across before this!
Dominant eye: What is it?
Your dominant eye is the one that provides a slightly (in most cases) greater degree of input to the visual part of your brain and more accurately relays information about the location of objects or in simple meaning is the eye that is your preferred eye.
Most of the time, the term “dominant eye” is used when describing the normal visual condition where the two eyes function well as a team and have relatively equal visual acuity, and one eye is simply the “leading” or preferred eye.
But sometimes, “dominant eye” is used to describe the normally sighted and functioning eye in dysfunctional cases of amblyopia and strabismus.
Steps to test your dominant eye:
- Extend your arms out in front of you and create a triangular opening between your thumbs and forefingers by placing your hands together at a 45-degree angle (see animation).
- With both eyes open, center this triangular opening on a distant object — such as a wall clock or door knob.
- Close your left eye.
- If the object stays centered, your right eye (the one that’s open) is your dominant eye. If the object is no longer framed by your hands, your left eye is your dominant eye.
Types of eye dominance
There are three different type of eye dominance that is determined by special tests used to find the dominant eye:
Sighting dominance: This is the preference of one eye over the other when fixating on a target.
Motor dominance: This refers to the eye that is less likely to lose fixation at the near point of convergence.
Sensory dominance: This refers to the eye that has stronger vision than the other.
Where to get help?
Optometrists can diagnose and treat eye disorders and vision problems, prescribe and dispense glasses and contact lenses, and provide expert advice on eye care. For more information, please visit us at Malaya Optical Optometrist