Losing sight in dominant eye

[rainman]

I have Macular Degeneration in my dominant eye.  Would going to a sight help or should I start trying to shoot left handed?

[McDave]

I don't think a sight would help, because you still need visual acuity to use a sight.  Two possibilities are either to use instinctive aiming, which depends more on hand/eye coordination than visual acuity, or switch to left-handed, assuming you still have visual acuity in your left eye.  Learning to shoot left handed is way easier than you probably imagine.  Probably easier to learn to shoot left handed than to figure out how to pay for a new left handed bow 😁

[rainman]

I grew up shooting left handed, so switching shouldn't be a problem.

[Terry Green]

Moved here from Shooting Form Forum. 


It's very easy test using a sight.  Learned at 8 years old when I was taught to shoot a bow.  Match stick and rubber band, you can easily move it up or down, left or right.  Just remember, the point of impact will be the opposite of the direction you move the sight.

And if you grew up shooting left hand that would also be a good choice.

The one thing about losing sight in one eye is that you will lose depth perception, so going full instinctive might be difficult.  The key word is 'might'.

Best of luck.

[rainman]

Thanks for the reply Terry.

[David McLendon]

I'd go ahead and start shooting left because you'll need to develop the arrow handling skills with your left hand which is way more bothersome than sighting.
 I was born left-handed and left eye dominant and forced to right handedness in the first grade in Fulton County School system in Georgia. All those years I was cross shooting until I switched sometime around 1999-2000. All new bows, new shotguns and things were a lot better.
 In 2014 I had a really bad Macula-off retinal detachment in my right eye and after multiple surgeries I'd hate to have to hit something shooting with it. So, it was good that I went back to left hand/ left eye dominant way ahead of time.
 You know what's coming and what will be necessary, go ahead and move that way ahead of time.

[Bowguy67]

I’m not sure if you’re going fully blind or just sort of. Forgive me for my ignorance. I was right eye dominant. Had brain surgery and my optic nerve hit in right eye. I can’t really see out of that eye, def not very well. From imagining to looking out heavy frosted glass, all you see is white to a fogged up window at best describes my vision in that eye.
Before this happened I’d be sure you’d be best switching. Not so sure now. Yes I started out completely instinctive as a kid and still bowfish this way. I started split vision shooting and it allowed better distance shooting. It uses the eye though right?
I’m an archery instructor and that part of me would say you surely can’t expect good results fighting it.
Truth is, when I draw, my eye can see fuzzily the arrow a tiny bit but not clearly, I don’t think bout a thing except shooting same as always. I have zero problems. Yes I’m split vision instinctive is part of the process but if you’re familiar with that do yourself a favor and try. Couldn’t hurt. FYI I switch bows all the time and it takes none to very few arrows to be back on

[kat]

I had trauma in my right eye, and decided to switch hands. It wasn't a difficult decision, as with the diminished sight in my right eye, the dominant eye switched to my left eye.

[Bowguy67]

Kat on a personal note, and perhaps some consideration by the op was all my bows were righties. A simple switch I think I’d handle as well especially with a little string bow practice. It was the getting rid of old bows and aquiring new ones that got me.

[kat]

Bowguy67. Yup, all my bows were righty also. It hurt to have to sell them off, and start collecting lefty as well. I guess it depends on the individual, and their desire and or ability to change over.
On another note- I am fortunate to have regained some sight back in my right eye, and shoot both hands now.