Kahn, AZ and Crawford, JD. (2001). Ocular dominance reverses as a function of horizontal gaze angle. PubMed.
In a reach-grasp task for targets within the binocular visual field, subjects switched between left and right eye dominance depending on horizontal gaze angle. On average, ocular dominance switched at gaze angles of only 15.5 degrees off center.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11369037?dopt=Abstract
Quartley, J and Firth, AY (2004). Binocular sighting ocular dominance changes with different angles of horizontal gaze. PubMed.
A change in eye dominance occurs when viewing in the contralateral field. Differences may exist in the angle at which this occurs due to the different conditions of the various tests for ocular dominance. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14998366?dopt=Abstract
The research summarized above indicates that eye dominance can and does change as one moves into a pool shot from across the horizontal field. For some people when they move into the shot making position from the left or from the right their eye dominance shifts as they look at the sighting point.
The obvious solution to this shift in dominance is to walk into the shot from behind. While you may be looking at the shot from the side as you walk to it, you probably should not begin to sight the shot until you are in position and take a step back. This will place you on the shot line, yield a better perspective, and will give your eyes and their dominance preferences time to adjust to the visual field directly in front of you. This type of recommendation has been around for a long time and is now reinforced by the research literature.
Whether you choose to place the cue under the dominant eye or allow the brain to compensate for the dominant eye is another choice. The research literature seems to imply that shift in dominance in the lateral and contra-lateral field is not an invariant process across people: Some people experience more of a shift than others. If you have noted this shift in dominance and or a change in dominance then it is probably more important for you to step back when on the shot line and look directly in front of you prior to sighting.
A more extensive literature review on this topic would probably yield even stronger evidence as we are dealing with a physiological process offset by mental preferences. Pool instructors should seriously review this literature and it probably should be a standard recommendation based on solid research findings. While some people may not have a lateral shift in dominance the recommendation to take a step back allows one to gain a better perspective.
In a reach-grasp task for targets within the binocular visual field, subjects switched between left and right eye dominance depending on horizontal gaze angle. On average, ocular dominance switched at gaze angles of only 15.5 degrees off center.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11369037?dopt=Abstract
Quartley, J and Firth, AY (2004). Binocular sighting ocular dominance changes with different angles of horizontal gaze. PubMed.
A change in eye dominance occurs when viewing in the contralateral field. Differences may exist in the angle at which this occurs due to the different conditions of the various tests for ocular dominance. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14998366?dopt=Abstract
The research summarized above indicates that eye dominance can and does change as one moves into a pool shot from across the horizontal field. For some people when they move into the shot making position from the left or from the right their eye dominance shifts as they look at the sighting point.
The obvious solution to this shift in dominance is to walk into the shot from behind. While you may be looking at the shot from the side as you walk to it, you probably should not begin to sight the shot until you are in position and take a step back. This will place you on the shot line, yield a better perspective, and will give your eyes and their dominance preferences time to adjust to the visual field directly in front of you. This type of recommendation has been around for a long time and is now reinforced by the research literature.
Whether you choose to place the cue under the dominant eye or allow the brain to compensate for the dominant eye is another choice. The research literature seems to imply that shift in dominance in the lateral and contra-lateral field is not an invariant process across people: Some people experience more of a shift than others. If you have noted this shift in dominance and or a change in dominance then it is probably more important for you to step back when on the shot line and look directly in front of you prior to sighting.
A more extensive literature review on this topic would probably yield even stronger evidence as we are dealing with a physiological process offset by mental preferences. Pool instructors should seriously review this literature and it probably should be a standard recommendation based on solid research findings. While some people may not have a lateral shift in dominance the recommendation to take a step back allows one to gain a better perspective.
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