[Jim Tyner]

Billions of pixels have been burned and hundreds of trees have died so that people could write about eye dominance in shooting sports. That’s quite amazing when you consider that most of these writings have started with the simplicity of holding your thumb up and looking through it with each eye.

However, with sophisticated eye tracking technology we can see, (no pun intended) that our eyes are playing all types of tricks on us at lightning speed. Then it is left to our brains to try to figure out which eye is telling the truth and which eye is lying at any particular millisecond in time.

Eye tracking metrics are segmented into three main areas. Fixation refers to the ability to focus, (gaze) with either one eye or both eyes simultaneously on a fixed point. Saccades, (suh cods) refers to the ability to change focus between two different points and Pursuits refers to the ability to track a moving object through space such as a clay target.

Using the RightEye System, which is the gold standard in vision tracking analytics, I have produced the two images below, one measuring vertical pursuits which test the ability of following an object up and down in a vertical and horizontal pursuits which test the ability to follow an object in a horizontal plane. The lines are produced by the RightEye System sampling each eye's gaze position in relationship to a moving target 90 times per second.

The two metrics you see below each present two scores. The first, SP “%”, is the percentage of the time that the eye is tracking within 1 mm of the centerline. The Efficiency score is in millimeters which is the distance that the eyes’ gaze, (focus point) is from the track of the target. For reference, 10 mm is approximately four tenths of an inch. In that these tests are done with the eyes approximately 2 feet from the screen, you can calculate how far off the eyes might be at 35 yards. Obviously, our brains have a lot of averaging to do. It’s reasonable to assume that on some targets this process of averaging breaks down and can interfere with the correct pointing of the gun. This is not a dominant eye issue, it is a sight data interpretation issue caused by eye tracking errors.

Our eyes’ ability to track either singularly or as a pair, is controlled by the six muscles of each eye and how closely they can work in unison to coordinate the eyes. Fortunately, often when there are deficiencies in these muscles, there are eye exercises that can be undertaken to correct these muscle deficiencies. Failing that, there are adjustments to eyeglass prescriptions that can compensate. However, like all muscles in the body, an individual’s eye muscles can only be trained a to a certain level of performance.

I have also attached a PDF that explains these concepts and more in a more detailed manner so if you have an interest in this, download the PDF for your own review. After reading it, I am confident that you will realize that there is a lot more to how we “see” a target than a simple eye dominance test can ever reveal. Further, that trying to “fix” cross-firing is far more complex a challenge than some would like to lead you to believe and that certainly shooting with two eyes, if they are sending bad data to the brain, is not always the best method to pursue.

 

[Jim Tyner]

You can listen to that nonsense if you want, but to me you are heading down a bad road.

Nonsense? Virtually every Major League Baseball team uses the RightEye System for continuing vision analysis of their players. The MLB player combines run all the potential draft choices through it. Because of the large assessment database, it can tell a team how each player compares to the average A, AA, AAA , major and elite major league players in their ball tracking ability. They then can have vision therapy regimens created to improve the deficiencies that are presented in the assessments.

I had a chat with the vision therapist for the Cincy Reds. He relayed an anecdote about a top rated prospect in their farm system who could hit every pitch except the ones over the middle of the plate. Using the RightEye System they were able to identify the deficiency causing that and correct it. His batting average went from .192 to .307. That bad road turned out extremely well for him.

 

[Jim Tyner]

The gun shoots where it is pointed. If you focus on a target that requires lead then the gun isn't shooting where you're looking.

Ya know, the brain is a marvelous computer. Think about an outfielder. The batter hits the ball and the outfielder almost immediately starts running to the point where that ball is going to come down. While he is running and tracking the ball with his eyes, the brain is calculating the ball's trajectory and modifying the running path to intercept the ball's trajectory when it will be about 6 feet of the ground. This is al based on the brain learning from past experiences of the thousand's of fly balls that player has caught over the year and then applying that to the data coming from the player's eyes for the one in the air.

Our eyes do the same thing with a clay target. While our brain can recognize a particular target presentation, it still has to get correct tacking data from the eyes to correctly apply that learned knowledge to that particular target.

 

[Jim Tyner]

And how many hundreds of dollars do you charge for this "tracking analysis," Jim?

Most RightEye providers using the system for sports vision charge $40 to $100 depending on the number of tests they include in the assessment, the type of sport involved and whether the athlete will be entering a structured vision training program or work through online training exercises on their own. In that the RightEye System is an FDA approved device, the assessment can be covered by Medicare and most vision insurance policies.

As for your huskster comment, The RightEye System is used by several of the most prestigious vision research institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic, Duke University and MIT. It is being used for brain injury therapy and monitoring, early Parkinson diagnosis and even long term affects to the brain like caused by Lyme disease. It utilizes the worldwide patented eye tracking technology developed by Tobii in Sweden(Google them) by taking that data feed and applying proprietary algorithms to generate the reports which constructed by comparing an individuals results to a database of of similar demographic subjects drawn from its master database of over 5,000,000 previous assessments.

The RightEye System is what's called a scientific instrument. It samples what your eyes are actually doing at a rate of 90 time per second. Looking over the shoulders of a bunch of kids trying to learn to shoot and then writing a book full of uniformed and untested opinions to sell to the gullible is I think closer to most peoples definition of hucksterism.

 

[Jim Tyner]

There is a provider within 3 miles of my house, I'll give them a call and get the low down. If not prohibitive expensive, I'll give it a shot.

RightEye providers generally fall into 4 disciplines. Concussion Therapy, plain Vision Therapy, Sports Vision and Reading Therapy. There is some crossover like a lot of pro and collegiate teams that have concussion risks have a RightEye assessment done at the beginning of the season. If they suffer a concussion, its location and the extent of its severity will show on a re-assessment. Then, as therapy progresses, re-assessments will show when the player returns to normal.

Reading is really interesting. If a child's eyes can't smoothly tract the words in the line, speed and comprehension suffer. This not mly affects reading but, by extension, total academic performance. I have attached just the graph portion of a 4 page standard reading assessment(the other 3 pages are detailed data analysis) so you can see the tracking movements.

 

[Jim Tyner]

Interested to see how it plays out with respect to correcting dominance issues.

Eye tracking analysis and any exercises or prescription changes that may be indicated would have no effect on dominance. What the RightEye System reveals is that there is a lot more to what we call crossfiring than just eye dominance. It shows that even our dominant eye can sometimes provide inaccurate information if there are eye tracking deficiencies which can result in a missed target.

Ever miss a target that you could have sworn you were right on?

 

[Jim Tyner]

LOL. What's the matter Coach, you afraid science might prove your theories wrong? In the past you have amply demonstrated your unworthiness to participate in any type of discussion that challenges your opinions. I am done with your baloney. Say "Hi" for me to your buddies at the Flat Earth Society.

 

[Jim Tyner]

And IMHO it would be helpful to "focus" (pun intended) on the larger issue of visual processing rather than simply dominance, dominance shifting, and "cross-firing" - which are all processing issues.

Thank you Drew for "getting it". There is a lot more to vision than just acuity or a simple thumb dominance test. While eye tracking issues were well known, until the development of sophisticated measuring devices they couldn't be accurately measured and categorized so that effective therapies could be developed. Now that we have them, top level performers in a multitude of sports have been taking advantage of them for a few years now. As the technology proliferates it is reaching down to young athletes who have the dedication and motivation to be the best that they can be.

 

[Jim Tyner]

However, I'm not sure I would know what to do with this clinical information about my eyes.

The System can recommend specific eye exercises based on the results if a person wants to try to improve their vision performance. In rare cases, adjustments must be included in a prescription to correct the deficiency.

 

[Jim Tyner]

I have decided most folks who want to be relevant can’t handle the truth!!

So, does this mean you don't want to be relevant but you can handle the truth or that you want to be relevant but you can't handle the truth? LOL.

Had you closely read the original post and read through the attachment you should have been able to determine that this isn't about one eye vs two eye shooting, it is about the fact that there is a lot more to crossfiring than just a simple eye dominance test can reveal. Of course the science also reveals that if your eyes are not working in coordination with each other, two eyes are not better than one eye in target sports. BTW, except for a pitcher, baseball is not a target sport. In fact, the RightEye System has established certain vision characteristics that will point to a player being more successful at a position that requires his particular vision characteristics.

 

[Jim Tyner]

Bayne,

it seems like you are the one not wanting to learn about new information supplied by new technology. Before I encountered the RightEye technology, I was already pretty well versed in vision as it relates to the clay target sports. I had learned that and accepted that it is a complex field with nothing that fits everyone.. The RightEye data provided scientific confirmation of that complexity.

 

[Jim Tyner]

What qualifies you as an authority?

What qualifies you to question it?

I post what I post. People can accept it or reject it. No skin off my nose either way. If you want to present a response that presents supported arguments or new information, you add to the discussion. So far, that doesn't seem to be what you do.