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We’d hate to sound like we’re running a commercial campaign, but we have to give the magic eye dot some props. This product has revolutionized the game and made it easier for several shooters to fall in love with the sport.
It’s exactly what you need if you’re one of those shooters who have to close an eye before aligning their sight with a target. Thanks to it, there’s no tussling with cross-eye dominance, ghost images, or double vision.
We’re going to talk about what all those things are, and why they keep making our lives difficult out there in the field. For now, let’s kick this off by looking at what magic eye dots bring to the table.
There’s a reason why the magic eye dot comes in various shades of color. Brands understand that consumers have unique tastes and preferences and producing only one color shade would make them feel limited.
Say, the company only produced red magic dots. That color would be conspicuous on yellow or amber-colored lenses, instead of blending in.
The dots come on a sheet, and 24 of them are round. Only two of them are rectangular, seeing as most rifles and shotguns have crosshairs that are ring-shaped. Aiming targets using crosshairs that are round usually feels a lot more natural and less stressful. But then again, it’s a matter of preference. If you like the rectangular crosshairs, you might not appreciate the ring-shaped dot as much as the next guy.
The good news is, that both shapes are trimmable. That means that besides the two rectangle dots, an additional 24 magic dots are still at your disposal.
The magic eye dot is made of “space-age” material. That’s the term that the brand used to describe whatever material that is when we were curious about the build quality. Space-age, for those wondering, implies that the material is strong enough to be used in the construction of satellites and other space structures.
We’re guessing what they were trying to communicate is that their product has been made using new technology that guarantees better performance. In other words, that was a marketing strategy.
We were impressed by how easy it was to reposition the magic red dot on our lenses. Shooters loathe spending hours fixing issues that shouldn’t even exist in the first place, instead of having fun. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
What’s more, they also made sure that the product facilitated precise placement. This might not seem like a huge deal to inexperienced shooters, but those who’ve tried hitting targets and missed by a fermi, understand just how important that is.
You don’t need a manual to use the magic eye dot. It’s simply meant to go inside the lens that covers the non-dominant eye, at the exact spot that you’re experiencing slight fuzziness. The correct placement will compel your eye to switch focus to the shooting eye.
Moving on, let’s now look at some of the issues addressed by the magic eye dot.
Most people are either right-handed or left-handed. And it’s easy to tell which one is the dominant hand by making observations. They’ll always favor it when throwing a ball, opening a door, or eating. For firearm enthusiasts, it’s the hand that they use to squeeze the trigger.
According to psychologists, most individuals have the same hand and eye dominance. Your dominant eye will be the one that you rely on while aiming at a target. So a left-handed shooter will most likely be left-eye dominant, and vice versa.
There are some special cases, though. Cases where an individual is right- or left-handed, with a dominant eye that doesn’t correspond. This phenomenon is what’s referred to as cross-eye or odd-eye dominance. And it often complicates things, seeing as the shooter will have a hard time using the rifle’s sight.
Their shots will always stray too far left or right because the targets won’t be aligned with the sight. To correct this issue, you train your non-dominant eye, use a red dot sight, or get the magic eye dot.
The other term used to describe this medical condition is diplopia. It’s not an acute eye condition, so there’s no need to be alarmed if you suspect you have it. Double vision is exactly what you think—seeing two images at the same time, even though there’s only one object in front of you. It can affect both of your eyes or just one.
Eye exercises can help you correct double vision, or you could wear prescribed glasses and eye patches.
The ghost imaging issue is a by-product of monocular double vision. One eye will function the way it’s supposed to but the other will create a shadow that sort of overlaps the main image. That shadow is what we are calling the ghost image. Again, we have unique cases where it affects both eyes, mostly due to dry eye syndrome.
Poor hand-eye coordination can be caused by anything. It can be the result of developmental delays or an accident. Shooters who’ve always wrestled with this problem often find it difficult to accomplish simple tasks, especially those that require efficient visual-motor coordination. catching or throwing a ball will be relatively difficult, as well as aiming and shooting a target. but the magic eye dot can alleviate the situation by acting as a compass.
Did you know most shooters usually close an eye while aiming at a target or shooting? They do so because they believe that’s one of the ways to improve their ability to focus. Those that shoot with both eyes open are military personnel who have to increase their situational awareness, to protect themselves.
If closing an eye doesn’t do anything for your shooting efficiency, give the magic eye dot a shot. We are almost certain that it will drastically improve your game.
Featured Image Credit: Chubykin Arkady, Shutterstock
Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.
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