Eye-gouging is the act of pressing or tearing the eye using the fingers or instruments. Eye-gouging involves a very high risk of eye injury, such as eye loss or blindness.
Eye-gouging as a fighting style was once a popular form of sport fighting in the back-country United States, primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries.[1]
Eye-gouging is prohibited in modern sports. It is a serious offense in rugby football codes where it occurs rarely. It is prohibited in combat sports, but some self-defense systems teach it.[2] Training in eye-gouging can involve extensive grappling training to establish control, the eye-gouging itself being practiced with the opponent wearing eye protection such as swimming goggles.[3] Yuki Nakai went on to win a bout in the Vale Tudo Japan 1995 tournament after his opponent, Gerard Gordeau, performed an illegal gouge that blinded him in his right eye.[4]
See also
References
Further reading
- United States Marine Corps (1999). USMC MCRP 3-02B Close Combat. Department of the Navy. ISBN 1-58160-073-9.
- Zorbas, Vagelis. Kino Mutai: The Art of Biting and Eye Gouging. www.fullcombat.com. URL last accessed January 7, 2006.