The invention relates to a geodetic measuring instrument (1), in particular a theodolite or a total station, for determining the position of a target point, comprising a sighting apparatus (5), in particular a telescope, wherein the sighting apparatus (5) can be pivoted in a motorized manner with respect to a base (11) of the measuring instrument (1) in order to change the orientation of the sighting apparatus and has at least one objective unit (21) that defines an optical target axis (6), angle measurement functionality for detecting the orientation of the target axis (6) highly precisely, and evaluating means for storing data and controlling the orientation of the sighting apparatus (5), characterized by an eye image recording unit (4, 4'), which is designed to record eye images of an eye (3) of a user, and characterized in that the evaluating means are designed to perform automatic sighting functionality regardless of viewing direction in such a way that the following occurs automatically after the function has started: at least one eye image is recorded, a viewing direction of the user eye (3) is determined, or eye information suitable for deriving a viewing direction of the user eye (3) is determined, by means of image processing on the basis of the at least one eye image, and the orientation of the sighting device (5) is changed in a motorized manner according to the viewing direction of the user eye (3) or according to the eye information.