How to Determine Your Eye Dominance

Are you left-handed or right-handed? Knowing which hand is more dominant than the other is something we intrinsically know from a young age. However, did you know that you also have a dominant eye?

Your dominant eye shows a preference for visual input. It has been estimated that approximately two-thirds of the population is right eye dominant and one-third of the population is left eye dominant, leaving a very small percentage of those with no eye dominance whatsoever.

How to Determine Eye Dominance

The Miles test is the easiest way to determine your eye dominance. Follow these steps to see which percentage of the population you fall under.

1. Hold your hands together and make a triangle with your thumbs touching and your top fingers overlapping, creating a hole that you can look through.

2. Focus the hole made by your hands on something small that is approximately 10 feet way and fits inside the hole. Keep in mind that your focus can range from a household object to a doorknob.

3. Close your left eye and look through the hole using just your right eye. Repeat this step, closing your right eye and looking through the hole using just your left eye.

If the object remains in view after closing your left eye, you are right eye dominant. If closing your right eye keeps the object in view, then you are left eye dominant.

What Eye Dominance Can Mean for Your Eye Health

While eye dominance may not effect your day-to-day life, it could have some importance if you’re considering a type of eye surgery, wear contact lenses, or participate in certain activities that rely on your eyesight.

For eye surgeries, such as cataract surgery, refractive surgery, or laser eye surgery, and wearing contact lenses, a doctor must consider different amounts of myopia for the best results. It’s often found that the dominant eye contains more myopia, which affects surgical procedures and prescriptions.

CorrectVision Laser Institute is one of Florida’s most advanced vision correction practices with extensive experience in eye health. Our goal is to open your eyes to the world of great vision by offering unparalleled expertise and the most advanced technology available. Contact us today for a consultation with one of our South Florida eye specialists, located in Hollywood, Weston and Pembroke Pines!