Shooting with one eye

[Rethunk]

Thanks for all your responses and encouragement. Things are looking better for my friends eye (no pun intended), but probably not fast enough for him to play in league playoffs :frown:. Although long term is what we were really worried about.

Sounds like one eye isn't really a problem in itself, but adjusting from two to one eye may not be a quick thing. (I bet going from one eye to two eyes would be really tough!)

We'll try some things out today....I think the advice to try to stick to one table size makes a lot of sense and I had really thought about that.

If we come across any drills that seem to help, I'll report back.

The nice thing about pool for a monocular player is that, unlike in other ball sports, the cue ball is (1) constrained to move on a flat surface, and (2) not in motion when you strike it. Depth perception becomes less of a factor.

How did you friend first learn to aim? One option would be to revisit those initial aiming drills and relearn aiming. When your friend aims, what does he think of: the contact point? or the amount of ball "covered" by the cue ball (e.g. half-ball hit)? or some other method?

If your friend gets frustrated trying to repeat his success with his old aiming method, then he might just try a different approach to aiming. Heck, even Tiger Woods rebuilt his stroke.

Bob Fancher's Pleasures of Small Motions--the best book I've found on the mental game of pool--could help your friend find the proper approach to relearning aspects of the game.

Curious to hear how your friend does. We one-eyed and lazy-eyed players will root for him.

 

[Bigtruck]

I lost most of my vision in one eye in a mountain biking accident. The vision in that eye is like seeing stars ALL the time. Basically the periphial vision is goners and a small spot in the center is there. Glare causes me trouble. Fortunately my other eye is my strong eye!

This injury has made me to think much about what amazing "calculators" and input devices the eyes are. You can look at an object, close your eyes and reach out at put your hand exactly on the object.

There was a major league baseball player that could only see from one eye. He was an outfielder!! He would move his head back and forth to triangulate the coordinates of the ball that was coming his way!! He was one of the best! Whenever I have a shot that requires great precision, I will triangulate with my good eye.

Happy shooting!!

Ray

http://www.tommcmahon.net/2009/05/oneeyed-baseball-player-whammy-douglas.html

 

[alinco]

I have a condition called Amblyopia, or "lazy eye," my left eye is pretty much useless, and I have no problems playing pool. I play almost everyday, and can run out pretty good

I play left handed, but my good eye is on the right, so I kind of put my head a bit over the cue and use my right eye to play. I don't even know im doing it lol.

Hey Gatz,

I'm the same way only reversed - right handed and only use my left eye. I've been this way since 3 years old and fell down the stairs.

Having only one good eye your whole life is not much of a handicap. I played several sports fairly well - even the outfield in baseball. You just learn the "size" of objects and determine their distance from that. Now, when the UFOs come from outer space I won't know if they're 10 feet away or 10 miles!

Andy

 

[rtimothy1119]

I read posts from 2009. I'd like to know of anyone has any recent articles about shooting pool after double vision - - - which really results in closing one eye while aiming and shooting.
Thanks in advance,
Tim fm Ct.

 

[benjaminwah]

I confirmed it with Niels Feijen today, he only has 5% vision in his left eye.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

I confirmed it with Niels Feijen today, he only has 5% vision in his left eye.

I almost lost my right eye in a shop accident about 8 years ago. They were able to restore a lot of vision, but the injury left my right (dominant eye) pupil permanently wide open, so the lights create a lot of glare and make seeing difficult.

I've taken to playing without my glasses to reduce some of the glare that comes off the lenses. I can see the angles just fine, but I do have to walk up and take a careful look at a lot of shots where balls are close to each other or near a rail. Shooting wise, though, I actually shoot better without them, and I have like 20/200 vision when I'm not wearing them.

At the last 14.1 tournament in NY, one of the commentators said that Thorsten Hohmann was playing without his contacts for several matches. His vision is seriously compromised, but the contacts bother him a lot after 12 hours of play, so he took them out. He played OK without them, but I guess he put them back in later on and went on to win the event.