Reading with one eye shut?

[elemenoP]

Yes, I had this happen to me. It was eye fatigue and it meant I needed reading glasses.

[Sydney's Mom]

I read with one eye but I don't close the other. After PRK, one eye is near sighted and one eye is slightly far sighted. It took several hours, but my brain adjusted. Every once and awhile I will close one eye and I am amazed how my brain does this automatically.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by FanciFreez

I have noticed sometimes when reading I find myself reading with one eye shut... (my weakest eye).. when this happens, I reposition book, refocus and back to normal with both eyes.. does anyone else find themselves doing this? if so, why? and what is the solution, problem etc.. is this abnormal or am I just a weirdo?
Thanks in advance..

I read with my right eye. If I should lose sight in that eye, I'll be officially blind.

Still, if I would close that eye while reading (or doing anything else), my right eye tries do to very weird things, like move to the place in between my eyes, and it costs a lot of effort to to make it do that.

Therefore I even take pictures with both eyes open most of the time, otherwise it's very difficult to look through the camera's finder.

Even though sight in my left eye is very poor, I'd rather have it open than closed, allthough I *could* live with my left eye closed if needed. I can't actually do anything with it, like reading; it just provides context and (some) extra spatial information.

[FanciFreez]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Audiobooks are much better than ebooks in this situation.

Yes..

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I read with my right eye. If I should lose sight in that eye, I'll be officially blind.

Still, if I would close that eye while reading (or doing anything else), my right eye tries do to very weird things, like move to the place in between my eyes, and it costs a lot of effort to to make it do that.

Therefore I even take pictures with both eyes open most of the time, otherwise it's very difficult to look through the camera's finder.

Even though sight in my left eye is very poor, I'd rather have it open than closed, allthough I *could* live with my left eye closed if needed. I can't actually do anything with it, like reading; it just provides context and (some) extra spatial information.

Usually two eyes give depth perception. Not so with me. I have two nearly perfect eyes, ignoring the old age factor, and my depth perception is poor at best. I once took part in a study where you were required to wear a patch for 2 days on one eye. According to the tests, like walking of a step, going up steps, picking up objects and judging distances, I was the same with or without the patch. They concluded that I had no mental depth perception and had simply learned to compensate. Strangely or not, I find glasses screw up that compensation. I must remove glasses before going on escalator or stepping off a curb.

Helen

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Usually two eyes give depth perception. Not so with me. I have two nearly perfect eyes, ignoring the old age factor, and my depth perception is poor at best.

I actually have depth perception with one eye, because my eyes continually move from left to right and back again, like a nystagmus, but extremely swift. Depth perception stays poor though. I can't feel this happening, and I don't see anything weird, but people looking at my eyes can see the rapid jittering.

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

They concluded that I had no mental depth perception and had simply learned to compensate. Strangely or not, I find glasses screw up that compensation. I must remove glasses before going on escalator or stepping off a curb.

Compensation is very likely, but still depth perception stays poor. I can see depth, but only in general terms. For example: I can tell which object is further away than another, or if it's moving toward me or away from me, but I cannot judge speed or distance accurately.

In the Netherlands, stuff like this prohibits one from driving a car or any other motorised vehicle that requires a driver's license. (And rightfully so, IMHO.)

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I actually have depth perception with one eye, because my eyes continually move from left to right and back again, like a nystagmus, but extremely swift. Depth perception stays poor though. I can't feel this happening, and I don't see anything weird, but people looking at my eyes can see the rapid jittering.

Haha. Bet that keeps them on their toes.

Helen

[ucfgrad93]

I use both of my eyes when I read.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Haha. Bet that keeps them on their toes.

Sometimes I get questions. Maybe "left to right" is not an accurate description. It's not a movement from completely left to completely right and back again. It's a rapid jitter of about 2mm or so.

It's like a nystagmus (it probably is a variation of that), but with a very short amplitude and very fast movement. I can actually keep my eyes still for extended periods of time if need be, but doing that is very tiring on the muscles.

[Grace Elliot]

Wow, never heard of anyone doing that before you.
I use a microscope a lot and trained myself to see through one eye (the one looking through the lens -ha ha) and avoid closing the other. I've been doing this for so long I can't even remember why I thought it was a good idea!

[glnnjnsn]

Originally Posted by FanciFreez

I have noticed sometimes when reading I find myself reading with one eye shut... (my weakest eye).. when this happens, I reposition book, refocus and back to normal with both eyes.. does anyone else find themselves doing this? if so, why? and what is the solution, problem etc.. is this abnormal or am I just a weirdo?
Thanks in advance..

I'm not an ophthalmologist/optometrist, but I do know enough to recognize that this *could* be a symptom of mild strabismus or convergence insufficiency - especially if repositioning the book further away helps. It sounds to me like you're (unconsciously) trying to avoid eyestrain caused by the constant issue of a "double image".

In fact, I do the same thing (read with one eye) when I'm reading in an unusual position or at an odd angle - like laying my head down and reading a propped-up book.

So no, I don't think you're weird, or even abnormal (vergence issues are relatively common). But it might be worth it to mention it during your next eye exam - if for no better reason than to get a more informed answer.

[Purple Lady]

Unless I have reading glasses on, I always read with one eye. When I had my cataract surgery, I had one eye done for close and one for far. So I also use only one eye for distance too. It was surprisingly easy to adapt to and makes reading much easier than it was with bifocals.

[FanciFreez]

Originally Posted by glnnjnsn

I'm not an ophthalmologist/optometrist, but I do know enough to recognize that this *could* be a symptom of mild strabismus or convergence insufficiency - especially if repositioning the book further away helps. It sounds to me like you're (unconsciously) trying to avoid eyestrain caused by the constant issue of a "double image".

In fact, I do the same thing (read with one eye) when I'm reading in an unusual position or at an odd angle - like laying my head down and reading a propped-up book.

So no, I don't think you're weird, or even abnormal (vergence issues are relatively common). But it might be worth it to mention it during your next eye exam - if for no better reason than to get a more informed answer.

Hi.. thanks for the info.. I'm planning on going back to my Optometrist next week to explain the situation to him.. it's not a big deal as I still read many hours a day, but.. it seems to happen more frequently in the last couple of months.. I just started to notice it more lately.. I will keep you posted.. by the way.. you should go back to college and get a Optometrist degree.. LOL
Thanks much..

P.S. when I am on my MacBook or a Larger size computer screen.. it never happens, just on eReaders or Tablets.. go figure..

[cadele]

Originally Posted by glnnjnsn

In fact, I do the same thing (read with one eye) when I'm reading in an unusual position or at an odd angle - like laying my head down and reading a propped-up book.

I do the same when lying on my side at night with the book propped up in front of me.

I am short-sighted and usually wear glasses, but I don't use my glasses for reading in bed. I often close the weaker eye when doing this but I think I have always done so when tired.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by FanciFreez

I have noticed sometimes when reading I find myself reading with one eye shut... (my weakest eye).. when this happens, I reposition book, refocus and back to normal with both eyes.. does anyone else find themselves doing this? if so, why? and what is the solution, problem etc.. is this abnormal or am I just a weirdo?
Thanks in advance..

I found myself doing this before I got my new glasses. The high myopia in one of my eyes is improving faster than the other. The joys of middle age!