Adapting to vision loss

[Plinker]

Here's a question for ya's. I've been diagnosed with what is called a vitreous detachment in my left eye. It caused a tiny blood vessel inside the eye to tear and leak blood inside the eyeball which has made my vision pretty much non-existent in that eye. Dr. says it takes about 6 weeks or so to clear up enough to see where the damage is and possibly fix it with laser surgery. In the meantime,archery season for me is ka-put but I'm looking to "regroup and adapt" for rifle season. I am left-handed and I tried pistol shooting left- hand/right-eye and I was thinking of trying the rifle like that, but before I do I'd like to hear some thoughts from my friends here in the "Poofahood". Am I better off staying left-handed and training myself to use the right eye? Or am I better off learning to shoot right-handed altogether? Pro's..Con's ?
Let me hear 'em.Thanks

Plinker

[27hand]

Plinker,

I stuck the back end of a sawzall blade into my dominant eye May 2 1/2 years ago.

I had 3 stitches in the cornea for just about 6 months and the surgeon told me I would have about 75% vision in that eye.

I can shoot pistol at close range with the damaged eye but only out to about 10/12 yds. I can also shoot cross dominant and with glasses (2X cheaters), I can clearly see the front sight but the target is substantially blurred. I know the target should be slightly out of focus if you are concentrating on seeing the front sight clearly but the blur is pretty bad.

I thought of transitioning to left handed shooting all together but never committed to switch completely.

Two years ago, i shot a doe with a scoped slug gun at about 45 yards. The reticle was blurred, the deer was blurred but it wasn't hard to hit the deer.

Last year, I missed a nice 8 point with the scoped 30.06 (actually hit it but didn't kill i). My buddy finished it off. I did shoot a small deer with my iron sighted pistol with that bad eye and put a bullet through it's heart at about 40 yds. Luckily, the deer stood a long time waiting for me to shoot. The next weekend I missed another 8 point with that same pistol at about 50 yds.

So, all in all, I should probably be shooting a rifle left handed.

Your situation is similar but I know you cannot have good cheek weld and fire a rifle cross dominant. You must practice with a rifle opposite what your normal shooting eye is. In my case, as a right handed shooter, I must shoot my rifles left handed. Pistol is OK to shoot cross dominant. Not rifles.

JMHO

27hand

[Plinker]

Your situation is similar but I know you cannot have good cheek weld and fire a rifle cross dominant. You must practice with a rifle opposite what your normal shooting eye is. In my case, as a right handed shooter, I must shoot my rifles left handed. Pistol is OK to shoot cross dominant. Not rifles.

27,
Thanks for your input. Your point is well taken on the cheek weld. I think I'll get the .22 rifle out this afternoon and try shooting opposite and see how that goes. Deer hunting w/ pistol is definitely my other option.
Thanks again.
Plinker