Download Article
Download Article
Moving one eye at a time may give the illusion of superhuman control, but with a little time and effort, pretty much anyone can learn this skill. Warm up your face muscles so you have the best shot of executing this maneuver. In particular, crossing your eyes is important for pulling off this trick.
Steps
-
Warm up your face. Warming up your face will prepare your facial muscles for action. Some of these muscles coordinate eye motion, so by warming them up, you'll stand a better chance of moving one eye. To warm up:
- Massage your entire face lightly with your hands, rubbing in small circles. Pay special attention to the area around your eyes.
- Take a big, wide yawn. Open your eyes and mouth, and raise your eyebrows as high as you can. Now squeeze these features together tightly.
-
Warm up your eyes. Now that your face muscles are warmed up, you can do the same for your eyes. Roll your eyes around your eye sockets a few times. Face forward, hold your neck still, and look hard to the left. Switch to the right. Then, keeping your neck and face in the same position, look up and down.- Crossing your eyes is another great eye warmup and is useful for training one eye to move at a time. If you've never mastered this skill, the tips in the next step should help. [1] X Research source
Advertisement -
Learn to cross your eyes , if necessary. Some of you may have crossed your eyes as part of your warmup, but don't worry if you haven't yet mastered this skill. With a little practice, you'll be a pro.
- Practice crossing your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose with both eyes. Slowly slide your gaze upwards to the bridge of your nose while looking inward.
- Hold a pen at arm's length directly in between both eyes. Focus on the pen and slowly draw it to your face until it is 2 – 4 inches (5.1 – 10.2 cm) away. At this distance, your eyes should cross.
- These techniques may use muscles that don't usually get much exercise, which can cause fatigue. When you get tired, take a break and try again. It may take you a little while, but you'll get it eventually! [2] X Research source
-
Check your form in a mirror. Cross your eyes in front of a mirror to see if you've mastered this technique. How do your eyes look? If you have any doubts, ask the opinion of a friend or family member.
- If you don't have a mirror or another person available to help check your form, snap a selfie.
- Being able to cross your eyes can make learning to move one eye at a time easier.
Advertisement
-
Look hard to the left or right. Whichever direction you choose, hold this position for a few seconds.
-
Bring your outward looking eye into the crossed position. If you're looking right you'll be moving your right eye, and if you're looking left you'll move your left. While holding your inward facing eye completely still, move the outward eye inward until it's in the crossed position. [3] X Research source
- Give your moving eye a guide to follow. Hold your finger at arm's length off to the side and in front of your outward facing eye. Focus on the finger with that eye. Move your finger inward to the center of your nose, following it with your outward eye.
-
Return to your initial position. Reverse this motion so the eye you moved returns to its starting position. For example, if you started looking hard to the left, you'll return to this position from the crossed position. [4] X Research source
- Practice one side a few times to get the feel for it before exercising the opposite eye.
-
Exercise the opposite eye. You know the drill by now. Since you have a feel for this maneuver, try it on the opposite side without a finger guide. If you have difficulty, go ahead and use your finger.
Advertisement
-
Cross your eyes. Time to put all your eye crossing practice to work. Cross your eyes, using a pen or finger guide if you need to. Once crossed, hold this position for a few seconds.
- Take frequent breaks to prevent strain.
-
Lure one eye away with a finger. Keep your eyes crossed. Now, position one of your pointer fingers in front of its same-side eye. For example, your right pointer finger should be in front of your right eye. Without moving the opposite-side eye, focus on the finger with the same-side eye. Slowly move the finger off to the side, following it with the same-side eye. [5] X Research source
- It may help if you position the finger so only the same-side eye can see it. Try starting with your finger a little off to the side.
-
Return to the crossed position and repeat. Bring it back home. Reverse the luring motion, returning the same-side eye to its original crossed position.
- To get this motion down, you may want to repeat it a few times with one eye before trying it on the opposite-side eye. [6] X Research source
-
Practice to master this skill. The more you perform this exercise, the easier it will become. Try it with each eye. Alternate back and forth. Try to move your eyes independently without a lure. If giving up the lure is hard at first, imagine that it's there.
- With practice, you'll be ready to trip out your friends with this trick.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
References
- ↑ http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/10/05/if_you_cross_your_eyes_or_scrunch_your_face_will_they_stay_like_that_forever.htm
- ↑ http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/10/05/if_you_cross_your_eyes_or_scrunch_your_face_will_they_stay_like_that_forever.htm
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR2D2JeW7sk
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR2D2JeW7sk
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFJ1ynB-sIE
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFJ1ynB-sIE
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Before you can move only 1 eye, you’ll need to learn how to cross your eyes. Roll your eyes around your sockets a few times to warm them up. Then, practice crossing your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose with both eyes. Or, hold a pen at arm’s length in the center of your vision. Focus on the pen and slowly bring it to your face until you’re cross-eyed. Once you’ve mastered crossing your eyes, you can try moving just 1 eye. Start by looking hard to the right with both eyes. Then, look at the tip of your nose with your right eye to bring it into the crossed eye position. You can use a pen to guide your gaze if you need. Once your eye is crossed, return to your initial position of looking to the right, which should cause your right eye to move on its own! To learn how to get better at moving 1 eye, read on!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 241,372 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "This article really helped! I learned to move one eye pretty quickly with success. Only thing is that now everyone asks me to do it. Be warned." ..." more
Advertisement
"This article really helped! I learned to move one eye pretty quickly with success. Only thing is that now everyone asks me to do it. Be warned."
..."
more
"This was very interesting! Fun new party trick and not too hard to learn, especially if you can cross your eyes."
"Did not know one could move only one eye."
"I think this is okay."
