Sighting dominance, handedness, and visual acuity preference: three mutually exclusive modalities?

Abstract

It is tempting, even perhaps for the clinician, to assume prima facie that an individual's handedness is indicative of other lateral asymmetries, including ocular (sighting) dominance and preferred monocular acuity. An analysis of new data relating to these three modalities, as collated from counter-balanced groups of normally sighted male and female children and adults examined in optometric practice, confirms the general fallacy of this assumption and considers why it is such a persistent misconception. The degree of association between the three modalities in right-preferent individuals is revealed as statistically no greater than chance. On the basis of this study, estimates of right-sided hand, eye and/or acuity congruency are derived for the information of the clinician in the prescribing environment of the consulting room.