Occluded Eye Shooting - Confirming Finding The Dot

What is occluded eye shooting? Occluded eye shooting is a training technique in which the front lens of a red dot sight is covered, forcing the shooter to focus on the target rather than the dot itself. By keeping both eyes open, the brain superimposes the red dot on the center of the target by a process called convergence. If you have taken our Pistol Mounted Optics Instructor course, we discuss how convergence is a natural process that takes place in the brain. We show that, with tape or a cover over the front of the sight, you can still shoot accurately even if you can’t see through the glass of your optic. This gives students the confidence that if their glass cracks, fogs, or is dirty to the point of not being able to see through the optic, they can still be effective shooters. All you need is both eyes open and a lit reticle.

Now, there is a small percentage of people who have issues with convergence. They may see double of an object, typically either the target or the dot. The target can tell the shooter if they are having that issue. This is the one time I use the target to tell me, as an instructor,  what the shooter may be having difficulty with. Sometimes, the shooter feels they are in the center of the target with every round, but the target displays something different. The hits will typically be on the same level as the spot they are trying to hit, but off to one side or the other. This is not a trigger control problem but a brain issue that the instructor cannot fix. Suggesting to the shooter to bring this up with their Optometrist is the best next step because they are more than likely having trouble converging. 

Here’s an example of what the target will look like if the shooter has a convergence issue: 

Now, if you don't have a convergence issue, how can we take this to the next level? Well, I have found that the most challenging part about shooting a pistol-mounted optic is actually finding the dot. Chances are that if you struggle to find the dot, you also struggle to find the front sight consistently. If the front sight is lined up with the rear every time, then the dot would be in the window. 

We teach students to use the iron sights like a road map to find the dot if it's lost. What we don’t teach is a special grip or special pressure on certain fingers. We just reinforce sight alignment, again one of the major components of the five fundamentals of shooting. When those important factors are not being taught, you must assist them in creating a foundation built upon those fundamentals before trying what I am about to tell you. 

Covering the front of the optic is a great way to confirm that your dot is in the window every time you draw or present the gun. Taking the iron sights away leaves you no road map to find the dot, forcing your dot to be in the window every time.  A great way to test this is to do the following: First, establish your baseline time for a one-shot draw at ten yards with no cover over the optic. Do this twenty times and write your times down. You should be consistent in your time. If you mess up and lose the dot, make a note of that. Then, tape up the front of the optic and repeat the draw for twenty more times. 

How many times was the dot not in the window? Do your times match from tape to no tape? Where is the dot showing up for you? Is it centered or off to one side? If both taped and non-taped draws are the same time and you're not losing the dot, you have succeeded! Now, shoot a couple courses of fire with the tape on. See if you lose the dot getting in and out of position, during reloads, and during target transitions. If you are losing it, there is more work to be done!!