The Berne Podcast with Dr. Sam Berne

Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Health
  • 4.8 (36)
  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to The Berne Podcast, a thought-provoking and informative journey with Dr. Sam Berne, an expert behavioral optometrist, and holistic health practitioner. Delve deep into the world of functional vision, eye wellness, and natural solutions for common and complex vision issues. Each episode explores Dr. Berne’s unique physical vision therapy protocols, integrating natural and holistic techniques to improve eye health, enhance vision, and support overall well-being. Whether you’re curious about functional vision therapy, seeking non-invasive ways to care for your eyes, or want to learn more about natural approaches to eye health, this podcast offers valuable insights for practitioners and individuals alike. Join Dr. Berne for engaging discussions, expert interviews, and actionable advice that will inspire you to see the world in a whole new way—naturally and holistically.

  1. 2D AGO

    Generation Alpha & the Nervous System: Why the Eyes Are the Gateway to Regulation

    Join Dr. Berne’s Next Online Workshop: The Perceptual Field™ Seeing Clearly Under Pressure Vision, Pattern Recognition & the Nervous System A 4-Session Small-Group Immersion with Dr. Sam Berne Link: https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/the-perceptual-field/ Join Dr. Berne For His Only In-Person Workshop in 2026, Beyond the Eyes Vision, Perception & the Nervous System — An Immersive Retreat: A 3.5-Day Small-Group Immersion Exploring Vision as a Whole-Body, Nervous-System-Driven Process. A Perceptual Ecology Immersion at a coastal field experience in embodied seeing Link: https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/beyond-the-eyes-vision-perception-the-nervous-system-an-immersive-retreat/ Generation Alpha is the first generation born fully into the digital age. Screens from infancy. Online learning as normal. AI as background noise. But what is this doing to their nervous systems — and their perception? In this episode, I talk about how Generation Alpha is growing up visually overstimulated yet perceptually underdeveloped — and why the future of health lies not in more information, but in embodied regulation. Through the lens of FVIB™ (Functional Vision Integrative Body), I discuss why breathing, movement, posture, primitive reflex integration, and visual awareness are essential tools for raising regulated humans in a dysregulated world. This is not about fear of technology. It’s about reclaiming perception. Welcome to The Berne Podcast. Today I want to talk about Generation Alpha — the children born roughly from 2010 onward — and why I believe they are the most neurologically challenged and potentially the most perceptually gifted generation we’ve ever seen. BREATH And I want to connect this to my work as a perceptual educator and the framework of FVIB™ — Functional Vision Integrative Body. Because what we’re seeing isn’t just an attention issue. It’s a regulation issue. Who is Generation Alpha? Generation Alpha is the first generation born into: • iPads from infancy • streaming as normal • online learning • algorithm and content • AI integration They have never known a world without screens. And here’s what concerns me — not from a fear perspective — but from a physiological one: Their nervous systems are developing inside constant visual stimulation. That changes perception. The Core Problem: Overstimulation + Under-Regulation These children are: • visually hyper-stimulated • vestibularly under-challenged • physically less integrated • breathing more shallowly • spending less time in horizon-based environments And when you combine that with reduced nitric oxide production from chronic mouth breathing and indoor living, you begin to see: • attention instability • anxiety • sensory overwhelm • learning challenges • sleep dysregulation This is not pathology. It is adaptation. But adaptation comes with cost. Why This Is a Perceptual Issue In FVIB™, we look at: • eye-body coordination • primitive reflex integration • breathing patterns • lymphatic flow • posture • light exposure • nervous system tone Vision is not just eyesight. Vision is how the brain organizes experience. And if a child’s visual system is constantly locked into near-field screen engagement, the brain adapts accordingly. Peripheral awareness narrows. Breathing becomes shallow. Sympathetic tone increases. The body lives in mild threat mode. Nitric Oxide + Oxygenation Let me connect something important here. When children: • breathe through the mouth • live indoors • have minimal nasal breathing • experience chronic stress Nitric oxide levels tend to drop. Nitric oxide is essential for: • vasodilation • oxygen delivery • cerebral perfusion • immune regulation Low nitric oxide doesn’t “cause” disease — but it contributes to poor oxygen delivery to brain tissue. Over time that stresses cognition. You see this in sleep apnea patterns, attention instability, and even early metabolic changes. Breathing matters. Nasal breathing matters. Movement matters. What Generation Alpha Actually Needs Not more content. Not more apps. They need: • horizon-based visual engagement—let me explain WHAT IS Horizon-Based Vision Engagement (HBVE) Horizon-based vision engagement simply means letting your eyes rest on far-distance, wide-field views— the natural horizon — instead of locking into close, narrow, screen-based focus. Think: mountains, ocean, desert, long trails, ski slopes, open fields. Not staring — soft, panoramic seeing. Why it matters (in plain physiology) When you engage the horizon: 🧠 Your brain shifts out of “task mode” Near vision (screens, books, phones) activates focused attention and sympathetic tone. Far vision activates global awareness and parasympathetic regulation. Translation: your system feels safer. 👀 Your visual system rebalances Horizon viewing: • relaxes the eye muscles • restores peripheral awareness • improves eye–body coordination • reduces visual fatigue This is the opposite of tunnel vision. 🌬 Your breathing deepens naturally Wide visual fields reflexively encourage slower, fuller breaths. That supports: • nitric oxide production in the nasal passages • better oxygen delivery • calmer heart rhythm You don’t have to try — the body does it automatically. 🧍 Your posture reorganizes People subtly stand taller when looking far away. That improves: • spinal alignment • vestibular input • lymphatic flow It’s built-in somatic therapy. Why this is especially important now Modern life trains: • constant near focus • narrow visual fields • indoor lighting • seated posture Over time that creates: • sensory overload • shallow breathing • attention instability • nervous-system vigilance Horizon engagement reverses that pattern. It’s free regulation. How to practice (2–5 minutes at a time) You already do this intuitively with skiing, desert walks, and mountains — but here’s a simple version anyone can use: 🌿 The “Soft Horizon” practice 1. Stand or sit upright. 2. Let your gaze travel to the farthest point you can see. 3. Relax your eyes — don’t focus on one object. 4. Let your peripheral vision widen. 5. Take 3–5 slow breaths. That’s it. Do this: • outside whenever possible • between computer sessions • after emotional conversations • when you feel overstimulated Two minutes makes a difference. MY QUOTE “Horizon-based vision tells the nervous system there is space. And when the nervous system feels space, it starts to heal.” That’s the essence. Children need adults who do this practice already Adults can then help children become better regulated. Where FVIB™ Fits Functional Vision Integrative Body is not about diagnosing. It’s about educating. Teaching: • how the eyes relate to posture • how breathing affects focus • how reflexes shape behavior • how light affects mood • how movement restores coherence For Generation Alpha, this is foundational. If we don’t teach perceptual integration, we risk raising children who are brilliant with technology but disconnected from their bodies. That’s not a moral statement. That’s a physiological observation. A Hopeful Note Here’s the good news. Generation Alpha is incredibly adaptive. Their pattern recognition is high. Their tech fluency is extraordinary. If we combine that with embodied regulation, we get something powerful. They could be the most integrated generation yet — if adults guide them properly. But that requires us to shift from: “More information” to “Better integration.” Closing If you are a parent, educator, therapist, or simply someone interested in the future of human perception, this is the work. We must teach children not just how to consume the world — but how to regulate within it. The eyes are the gateway. Breath is the bridge. The body is the anchor. This is why perceptual education matters. And this is why the future of health is not just medical. It is neurological, relational, and embodied. Thanks for TUNING IN, UNTIL NEXT TIME. TAKE CARE, .

    13 min

  2. FEB 7

    Why Relaxation Sometimes Makes You Feel Worse (And What Real Regulation Actually Is)

    Welcome to The Berne Podcast. I’m Dr. Sam Berne. Today I want to talk about something that surprises a lot of people. Why do some people feel worse when they try to relax? They meditate. They lie down. They do breathwork. They get massage. And instead of feeling better, they feel: • dizzy • foggy • emotional • disconnected • heavy • or strangely unsettled Most people assume that means something is wrong with them. But very often, it doesn’t. It means their nervous system doesn’t need relaxation. It needs regulation. Those are not the same thing. ⸻ SEGMENT 1 — RELAXATION VS REGULATION Let’s clarify this first. Relaxation usually means: • slowing down • becoming passive • reducing effort • letting go Regulation is different. Regulation means: • organized input • coherent movement • balanced sensory information • a felt sense of safety • connection between body and brain Relaxation can sometimes lead to collapse. Regulation leads to coherence. And for sensitive nervous systems, collapse feels terrible. ⸻ SEGMENT 2 — WHY SOME PEOPLE FEEL WORSE WHEN THEY “RELAX” Here’s what I see clinically. Many people are living in chronic sympathetic activation — always on, always alert, always processing. So when they suddenly stop: • lie still • close their eyes • slow their breathing their system doesn’t experience relief. It experiences loss of orientation. The brain loses reference points. The vestibular system gets confused. The body doesn’t know where it is in space. That can show up as: • dizziness • drifting sensations • emotional flooding • fatigue • or a sense of disappearing That’s not healing. That’s nervous-system disorganization. ⸻ SEGMENT 3 — SENSITIVE SYSTEMS NEED ORGANIZED INPUT This is especially true for people who are: • intuitive • perceptually sensitive • highly empathic • creative • or have spent years taking care of others These nervous systems don’t respond well to passive interventions. They need: • gentle rhythmic movement • bilateral coordination • distance vision • light resistance • agency — meaning you choose the pace In other words: They need participation, not collapse. They need engagement, not shutdown. ⸻ SEGMENT 4 — COMMON EXAMPLES You might recognize this if you’ve ever: • felt worse after yoga • gotten foggy after meditation • felt disconnected after massage • crashed after a “relaxing” weekend • or become emotional when you finally slow down That doesn’t mean those practices are bad. It means they weren’t matched to your nervous system at that moment. Healing is not about forcing calm. It’s about restoring organization. ⸻ SEGMENT 5 — WHAT REAL REGULATION FEELS LIKE Real regulation usually feels like: • warmth returning to your body • clearer thinking • easier breathing • smoother movement • a sense of being present • feeling more like yourself Not floaty. Not collapsed. Not spaced out. More embodied. More here. That’s coherence. ⸻ SEGMENT 6 — PRACTICAL GUIDANCE Here’s something simple you can start noticing: After something you do — movement, therapy, rest, or even a conversation — ask yourself: Do I feel more embodied… or more disconnected? Do I feel clearer… or foggier? Do I feel more myself… or less? Your nervous system gives feedback immediately. That’s your compass. And here’s an important principle: If something costs you regulation, it’s not aligned. No matter how “good” it’s supposed to be. ⸻ SEGMENT 7 — THIS IS NOT ABOUT FIXING YOUR BODY I don’t believe in fixing bodies. I believe in restoring relationship. Relationship between: • your nervous system • your movement • your perception • your environment Healing happens when the system feels safe enough to reorganize itself. Not when we impose calm from the outside. ⸻ CLOSING + INVITATION If you’ve been feeling confused by your symptoms… If relaxation hasn’t been helping… If you sense that your nervous system needs something different… This is exactly the kind of work I do privately. In Vision Intensives, I help people restore nervous-system coherence, perceptual clarity, and embodied regulation. Not through quick fixes. Through listening to how your system actually works. And remember: Your body isn’t failing you. It’s communicating. Trust that.

    6 min

  3. JAN 31

    When Relaxation Makes You Dizzy: The Hidden Brainstem–Vision Connection

    To learn more about Dr. Berne’s Vision Intensives send us an e-mail: appointments@drsamberne.com To join Dr. Berne’s March Online Workshop go to: https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/the-perceptual-field/ To sign up for Dr. Berne’s In-Person Retreat go to: https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/beyond-the-eyes-vision-perception-the-nervous-system-an-immersive-retreat/   In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne explores why some people feel dizzy, foggy, or disconnected when they try to relax — and why this is often not an ear problem or aging issue, but a brainstem prediction response. You’ll learn how vision, motion, and nervous system safety are deeply connected, why relaxation can trigger protective shutdown in sensitive systems, and how gentle, choice-based sensory work can help restore stability. This episode reframes dizziness as a perceptual and neurological pattern — not weakness — and offers a new understanding of how the brain and eyes work together to create a sense of safety. Keywords vision, dizziness, brainstem, nervous system, relaxation, perception, sensory input, eye health, somatic movement, meditation Summary In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne explores the intricate relationship between vision, the nervous system, and the experience of dizziness. He discusses how relaxation can sometimes lead to feelings of dizziness due to the brainstem’s protective mechanisms. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain’s predictions about safety and movement, and how vision plays a crucial role in regulating our nervous system. Dr. Berne offers insights into practical tools for improving vision and overall well-being. Takeaways The vision intensive helps explore your vision and nervous system. Relaxation can sometimes trigger dizziness due to brainstem responses. Dizziness may be a protective mechanism of the nervous system. The brainstem assesses safety and control in movement. Vision is interconnected with bodily sensations and safety. Meditation can lead to feelings of dizziness if not approached correctly. Gentle sensory input can help stabilize vision and movement. Peripheral awareness is crucial for reducing visual overwhelm. Reconnecting the brain and body can improve vision. Understanding the brain’s predictions can enhance relaxation experiences. Sound bites “When relaxation makes you dizzy.” “Are my eyes connected to my body?” “Your system is not broken.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Vision and Relaxation 01:56 Understanding Dizziness and the Brainstem Connection 04:40 The Role of Vision in Nervous System Regulation

    6 min

  4. JAN 26

    Beyond the Lens: Neuroplasticity, Red Light, and the Truth About Eye Health

    If you would like to book a Vision and Nervous System Reset Intensive (1 on 1) with Dr. Berne, send us an e-mail: appointments@drsamberne.com To register for my upcoming online course called the Perceptual Field starting March 18th : https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/the-perceptual-field/ To register for my in-person retreat in September : https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/beyond-the-eyes-vision-perception-the-nervous-system-an-immersive-retreat/ Keywords vision therapy, eye health, neuroplasticity, holistic approaches, red light therapy, blue light dangers, progressive lenses, nutrition, functional vision, Sam Berne Summary In this episode, Sam Berne shares his personal journey with vision therapy, discussing the transformative effects of holistic approaches to eye care. He emphasizes the importance of neuroplasticity, nutrition, and the dangers of blue light, while also debunking myths surrounding progressive lenses. The conversation explores various therapies, including red light therapy, and offers practical tips for maintaining eye health. Takeaways Sam Berne’s journey from needing glasses to improving his vision through therapy. The significance of neuroplasticity in vision improvement. Red light therapy can enhance cellular energy and improve eyesight. Blue light from screens can damage eye tissue and lead to degeneration. Progressive lenses may worsen macular degeneration by limiting vision use. Holistic approaches to eye care include nutrition and lifestyle changes. Artificial lighting can negatively impact mood and health. Functional vision assessments are crucial for understanding eye health. Dietary changes can significantly improve eye conditions like AMD. Regular exposure to natural sunlight is beneficial for eye health. Sound bites “The eyes originate from the brain.” “Blue light is like a toxin.” “Artificial light is like artificial food.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Vision Therapy and Personal Journey 04:01 Sam’s Personal Story and Transformation 10:03 Holistic Approaches to Eye Care 12:59 Understanding Eye Health and Nutrition 18:04 Neuroplasticity and Vision Improvement 22:02 Red Light Therapy and Its Benefits 26:27 The Dangers of Blue Light 33:07 The Myths of Progressive Lenses 39:56 Functional Vision vs. Structural Eye Care 46:34 Practical Tips for Eye Health

    59 min

  5. JAN 18

    The Perception Lineage — And Why My Work Is Different

    Sam Berne (00:01.486) Hey everyone, welcome to the podcast today. So the title of this podcast is the perception lineage and why my work is different. I’d like to address a question that keeps coming up. Where does my work sit in relation to David Abram, Ian McIlchrist, Merleau Ponte and indigenous perception traditions? I’m clearly in the same territory, but I also do something very different. I don’t just describe perception. I restore it. Here’s my main premise. Perception is retrainable. It’s relational and it’s resolvable through our nervous system. Vision isn’t just optical. Vision is the nervous system. organizing itself around reality and it does so through the body. David Abram is a perceptual poet. He re-enchants the sensory system. He reminds us that the world is alive, responsive and participatory. But he’s not doing nervous system rehabilitation. He restores meaning. I restore capacity. McGillchrist is the master diagnostician for restoring attention. He shows us how the culture collapses perception into a narrow focus. Sam Berne (01:50.05) And he gives us the map of cultural injury. My work takes the next step when somebody asks, okay, how do I get my depth back? Merleau-Ponty gives us our truth back that perception is embodied. He says it’s not just a mental construct, but he doesn’t give any practices. My work takes the theory of embodiment and puts it into different practices, your biology, your physiology, your ocular motility, your perception, your memory and your nervous system safety. Indigenous traditions are relational. They understand the field. They can look at the big picture, the wide vision. Respectfully, I’m not here to take their symbols or rituals. I’m here to restore your biology, which makes perception relational again. Three-dimensional vision, slow nonlinear movement. Breath. safety and sensory reciprocity. Here’s the cleanest way to say it. Abram restores the sacredness of perception. Sam Berne (03:25.666) McIlchrist emphasizes the importance of attention. Merleau-Ponty emphasizes the importance of embodiment. Indigenous cultures restore relational seeing. And I restore the perceptual field through the nervous system. And this makes vision alive again. I observed that vision is a lived experience through the body. If you’re experiencing your vision tense, braced, rushed, defended, tight, narrow, you’re not broken. You’re describing a perceptual field that’s under stress. Just know that your vision can be restored. So that’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in. Remember, vision is more than eyesight. It’s a whole body experience.

    5 min

  6. JAN 11

    Artificial Intelligence in 2026: Why Perception — Not Intelligence — Will Decide the Future AI

    🎙️“Welcome to The Berne Podcast. I’m Dr. Sam Berne, and this is a space where we explore perception, technology, health, and what it really means to be human in a rapidly changing world. This isn’t about trends for the sake of trends — it’s about understanding how our nervous systems, our vision, and our decision-making are being shaped right now. In today’s episode, I want to share my 2026 view on Artificial Intelligence — not from hype or fear, but from the lens of perception. Because the real question isn’t how intelligent AI is becoming. It’s how well we are perceiving while using it.” 1. Framing the Conversation (2–3 minutes) “Most conversations about AI focus on power, speed, and intelligence. But intelligence alone has never guaranteed wisdom. In my work with vision and nervous systems, I’ve seen something very clear: When perception is distorted, even highly intelligent systems make poor decisions. That applies to humans — and it applies to how humans use AI.” 2. The Core Shift Coming in 2026 (3–4 minutes) “By 2026, AI will be everywhere: • embedded in workflows • decision-support systems • creative tools • diagnostics • education • business strategy t AI in 2026: Where It’s Actually Showing Up (and Why Perception Matters) 1. Embedded in Workflows “By 2026, AI won’t feel like a separate tool you open. It’ll be embedded directly into workflows. Email platforms will suggest responses. CRMs will predict next actions. Scheduling systems will optimize time automatically. Content systems will pre-shape messaging. The danger here isn’t dependence — it’s unquestioned momentum. When AI is embedded, decisions happen faster than perception can catch up. And if your nervous system is already in urgency, you stop asking: ‘Is this actually the right move?’ AI will move the river faster. Perception determines whether you’re steering or just being carried.” 2. Decision-Support Systems “Decision-support systems sound helpful — and they can be. AI will analyze patterns, risks, probabilities, and outcomes faster than any human team. But here’s what I’ve seen over decades: Under stress, humans outsource judgment too quickly. If perception is narrowed, AI outputs become authority instead of input. Good decision-making doesn’t come from more data. It comes from contextual awareness. In 2026, the leaders who thrive will use AI as a second nervous system — not a replacement for discernment.” 3. Creative Tools “AI is already reshaping creativity. Writing, music, video, design — all accelerated. But creativity doesn’t come from speed. It comes from signal. When perception is overstimulated, creativity becomes derivative. AI makes it easy to generate — but harder to feel what matters. The future creative edge won’t be who produces the most. It’ll be who can still sense resonance, timing, and emotional truth. AI can generate content. Only humans can perceive meaning.” 4. Diagnostics “In diagnostics — medical, behavioral, business — AI will be astonishingly good at pattern recognition. But diagnosis without perception becomes mislabeling. I’ve watched this happen in healthcare for years. AI can identify correlations. It cannot feel context, trauma, adaptation, or resilience. Without perceptual intelligence, diagnostics risk becoming faster ways to miss the point. The best use of AI in diagnostics will be as a mirror, not a verdict.” 5. Education “Education will be transformed. AI tutors. Personalized learning paths. Instant feedback. Adaptive testing. But learning doesn’t happen when the nervous system is overloaded. Perception narrows under pressure. Curiosity collapses. Integration stops. The real question in 2026 education won’t be: ‘How fast can we teach?’ It’ll be: ‘Can the learner’s nervous system stay open while learning?’ Education that ignores perception will produce information — not wisdom.” 6. Business Strategy “AI will increasingly shape business strategy. Market predictions. Customer behavior modeling. Operational optimization. But strategy isn’t just analysis. It’s orientation. Under stress, organizations mistake speed for clarity. AI amplifies this. The most successful businesses won’t be the most automated. They’ll be the most perceptually literate. They’ll know when to pause. When to widen the field. When to let things dissolve instead of forcing resolution. AI will reward those who understand timing — not just data.” Closing Bridge Line (Use Before Your Final Point) “So across workflows, decisions, creativity, diagnostics, education, and strategy… AI doesn’t eliminate human responsibility. It magnifies it. The question isn’t: ‘What can AI do?’ It’s: ‘Can we perceive clearly enough to use it well?’” If you want next, I can: • compress this into a 12-minute solo episode • create 1–2 minute clip scripts for LinkedIn or Instagram • or write a second episode: “Why AI Makes Nervous System Regulation a Business Skill” Just say where you want to take it. The novelty will be gone. What will matter is how AI is being used, not whether it’s being used. And here’s the key insight: 👉 AI amplifies perception — accurate or distorted. If your perception is narrow, rushed, or stress-driven, AI will accelerate bad assumptions. If your perception is grounded, regulated, and contextual, AI becomes an extraordinary ally.” 3. The Nervous System Problem No One Is Talking About (4–5 minutes) “One of the biggest blind spots in AI conversations is the human nervous system. We’re introducing faster tools into systems that are already overstimulated. Stress narrows perception. Urgency collapses context. Trauma conditions interpretation. This is why smart people — and smart companies — misread situations while using powerful tools. AI doesn’t slow you down. It speeds you up. And speed without perceptual accuracy creates distortion.” 4. VR, Glasses & the Visual Frontier (3–4 minutes) “We also need to talk about VR and visual technology. VR glasses and immersive environments are advancing rapidly — and they’re not neutral. Vision is a regulator of the nervous system. What you see changes how you feel, orient, and decide. In 2026, the conversation won’t just be about screen time — it will be about: • visual load • perceptual narrowing • dissociation vs embodiment • loss of peripheral awareness Technology that collapses the visual field too much, too fast, without regulation, will increase anxiety and cognitive fatigue — even if the content is ‘useful.’” 5. The New Metric: Perceptual Intelligence (3–4 minutes) “The future won’t be divided between people who use AI and people who don’t. It will be divided between: • those who can perceive clearly under pressure • and those who can’t Perceptual intelligence — the ability to sense context, regulate timing, and widen awareness — will matter more than raw IQ, credentials, or tools. AI will not replace human intuition. But it will expose whether intuition is grounded… or reactive.” “So here’s my 2026 view: The real risk of AI is not that it becomes too intelligent. It’s that humans don’t slow down enough to perceive accurately while using it. The future belongs to people who can: • regulate their nervous systems • widen perception • tolerate uncertainty • and let clarity emerge instead of forcing resolution AI doesn’t create wisdom. Perception does.”

    14 min

  7. JAN 4

    The Nervous System’s Timeline (And Why We Keep Ignoring It)

    Join our upcoming events: Aromatherapy Certification Online Course: January 28th The Perceptual Field Online Course: March 18th Beyond the Eyes, Vision, Perception and the Nervous System–an -in-person retreat: September 10th Link: https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/ Sam Berne (00:00.078) Hey everyone, welcome to the program today. So I want to talk about slowing down is not what you think it is and I’m referring to your pace, your nervous system, your stress and your perceptual fields. talking to people over the years, people think slowing down is collapsing at night watching TV scrolling on your Instagram or maybe taking some high-powered aerobic class at a fitness center, which could blow off some temporary stress or even doing some cathartic therapies, which in the moment you have a release, but it becomes very addictive. And there isn’t really a long-term nervous system reset or regulation. And what I’m talking about is long-term self-regulation of the nervous system. It’s not about effort. It’s about pace. You know, technology is so much part of our culture and we’re always going to the speed of our email of social media. And when we do this, we disconnect from our biological rhythms. Our nervous system has evolved from cycles, pauses and variations. And even though we’re rewarded for speed efficiency and productivity, it’s having a major toll in all walks of life, whether it’s health business or relationships. True self-regulation is not about collapsing withdrawing. It’s not passive. Sam Berne (01:48.32) It’s an intentional shift in our orientation. When pace exceeds our biological rhythms, our perception narrows. When we narrow our perceptual fields, our decision-making becomes more difficult. Our relationships become unmanageable and our health tends to spiral down. Technology increases our speed and we lose context timing. and we see less alternative options. In my work, what I observe is that when our peripheral vision and our perception opens, patterns become visible and our decisions become better. Our vision isn’t just about our eyes, but it’s driven by our whole body, which influences our nervous system. When we slow down, there’s better communication in the eye brain body chain. Slowing down isn’t doing less. It’s connecting more to your rhythms. When you release the imposed have tos, Perception changes and everything else follows. If this way of working with perception and the nervous system resonates with you, consider joining my online cohort in March or coming to my retreat in California in September. These aren’t about fixing or pushing change. These are about creating conditions. So clarity emerges. Sam Berne (03:36.994) So that’s my podcast for today. Thank you so much for tuning in until next time. Take care.

  8. 12/31/2025

    Vision Is a Nervous System Process—Not a Lens Problem

    Sam Berne (00:00.088) I’d like to welcome you to Facebook live tonight. We’re going to go about 25 minutes, maybe a little longer. We’ll see how the questions are going. So I’d like to welcome everybody. I’ve been off for a few weeks, but it’s great to be back on. So if you’ve got questions, you feel free to type them in. Hopefully I’ll get to see them and I want to start off with a couple of announcements. First of all, I’m going to be teaching. A two hour class on April 30th. It’s a Saturday and it will be from 10 AM to 12 noon Mountain Time. It’s one of my classes that people love because it’s going to be on. Well, a lot of different ways to improve your vision through color therapy, aroma therapy. We’re going to. do some eye exercises and I’m going to teach you how to negotiate a healthy prescription of contact lenses or glasses with your eye doctor. That’s always a challenge, especially if you want to improve your vision. There are ways that you can talk to your doctor so that you can get what you need. I’m going to take a couple of questions that people have emailed me and then if we get any questions from from the audience, I’m happy to answer those as well. So the first question that I’m getting tonight is one that I get a lot. It’s on mono vision. And what do I think of mono vision? This is with contact lenses and you know, what are the alternatives if I don’t? like mono vision. So for those of you who don’t know what mono vision is, this is a prescription where the doctor is correcting one eye for distance and one eye for near. If you look at my hands right now, this is kind of the setup. So my right eye is the distance. I my left eye is the near eye. You can see that there is a Sam Berne (02:24.297) a change in the focal distance between your eyes. This actually sets up a couple of scenarios. One scenario is double vision because your focal lengths are different between your two eyes. Let’s say your right eye is corrected for distance and your left eye is corrected for near. What this means is that when you’re driving Your left eye because it’s corrected for near is not engaging with the right eye. So a lot of times the brain shuts off the the eye that you’re not using and this is very disturbing because you’re now you’re now eliminating or at the very least reducing the the integration between your two eyes. So the brain suppresses or shuts off the left eye because it’s the right eye. That’s the driving eye and that the same token if you’re using the computer or reading it’s your left eye that’s carrying the load and the right eye is focused somewhere out at 20 feet, but it can’t come into a near focus. So again, the brain is suppressing the right eye so it reduces or in fact even eliminates the potential of binocular vision. This is disturbing because over time each eye is carrying more of the load than it should be and this can lead to eye strain eye fatigue and eventually it can change the structure the anatomy the tissue of the eye in a way where it can actually even lead To a disease process, maybe things like glaucoma cataracts macular degeneration. So based on this description, it’s obvious that we’re not meant to correct our eyes in different focal distances, even though the doctor may think it’s convenient. It really sets up a situation where you’re going to be experiencing a lot of visual stress. Sam Berne (04:47.63) So it’s always better to correct both eyes for distance. And if you’re near sighted, one of the techniques that you can do is actually ask your doctor to under correct you slightly when you read the distance eye chart. instead of seeing 2015, you could see 2020 or even 2025. But the advantage of that is that your Your eyes are going to be matching in the distance and because you’re under correcting. You’ll be able to read and I have so many patients in their 50s and 60s 70s who are nearsighted by under correcting them a little bit in the distance. They’re able to keep their near vision. The the scenario is is when the eye doctor wants to over correct you for distance and you’ll feel it in your eyes and you can tell him or her. Whoa, this is too strong for me. Then you can. get a slightly reduced prescription in the contacts and you’ll still be able to read without reading glasses. Now in the farsighted side of things, it’s a little trickier. But again, you know, if you do my eye exercises, you can regain your distance vision as a farsighted person and the magnification power that you need up close could be minimal. This is where again, you could use things like pinhole glasses or Do my exercise the minus lens to blur. That’s the opposite lens prescription that a farsighted person would use. You can also do my convergence and divergence exercises to build more flexibility and versatility in the eye muscles. And this would be a way for you to continue to hold on to your vision based on, you know, Sam Berne (06:50.598) not wearing such a strong prescription, but the bottom line in mono vision is you don’t want to do it. You definitely don’t want to do it with a surgical intervention like Lasik surgery or cataract surgery. That’s going to be a disaster. know that’s not a popular thing in the room that some people love mono vision and they love Lasik surgery and more power to you. You know, I did a post recently on Tik Tok by the way. I would get on my tick-tock feed because I do a lot of great 20 second videos on tick-tock. did this one on Lasik surgery and got about 350,000 views. Most of them were against what I was saying, which is that they think that Lasik surgery is a great surgical procedure. And you know, for some people it is, I was just putting a different perspective on it and So it created a lot of controversy a lot of lot of talk back and forth, which I love. So anyways, that’s the that’s the situation on mono vision. All right. I want to take a question from Zizo. He’s asking about or she is asking about dry eyes. So dry eyes actually start in the eyelids. You know, I was giving a session today to somebody actually was my class. That’s what it was my intensive and somebody was really surprised when I said dry eyes actually start in the eyelids when the eyelids become irritated when there’s inflammation. This is what creates a dryness in your eyes because it’s the eyelids that house the tears that produce the glands that produce the tears and so it starts with getting rid of inflammation in the eyelids. Now, how do you do that? Well, it’s a combination of using natural eye drops during the day, blue blocking glasses if you’re using screens because blue light is going to dry out the eyelids even more, dry out the eyes. And then the evening, one of the techniques I like to use is a castor oil eye massage. You just take a little bit of organic castor oil. Sam Berne (09:13.964) and you massage it into the eyelids in the evening and you do the homeopathic eye drops and or the MSM eye drops during the day. Make sure to increase your fats and oils in your diet, reduce your visual stress, get natural sunlight. These are some of the techniques that I recommend in terms of healing the eyelids and hydrating the eyes with natural eye drops during the day. Let’s take a question from Gabriella. was told by a doctor. Lasik is done only on one eye for older people cannot be done for both eyes. Well, I don’t know what your prescription is, but you definitely want to Gabriel. You want to match both eyes for distance. If you’re going to do lasik surgery now, maybe in your case, one eye is a lot more nearsighted than the other eye. So by getting the lasik surgery in one eye, it will match the distance prescription so that your two eyes are tracking together. But the bottom line is that if you’re going to get lasik surgery, you want to have both eyes matching in the distance. So you’re seeing as similarly as you can. That’s really the bottom line. Now with lasik surgery, you may be more susceptible to dry eyes. You may be more susceptible to floaters. You also may have a situation where the lasik surgery works for a while, but then your prescription starts coming back. And the reason why that happens is we want to blame the prescription just on the eyeball, but it’s not the eyeball that’s necessarily causing the prescription. It’s what our programming is mentally. that causes the eyeball to change its shape that creates the prescription. Now, I know that’s a an advanced idea that we would think what what I think is going to affect my eye prescription, but precisely, you know, any prescription you wear is only a reinforcement of the programming on what you’re doing to your eyes. And if you’re nearsighted, what you’re doing is you’re tensing your muscles up and you’re pulling the world in. Sam Berne (11:38.394) as a way to adapt to whatever the environmental stress is. And so when you do the Lasik surgery, you’re only changing the eyeball. You’re not changing the programming, which is actually much stronger than the Lasik surgery in terms of influencing the prescription. So it’ll work for a while, but then it won’t. So I would be very careful about Lasik surgery. If you’re going to do it. I would recommend doing my eye exercises afterwards. All right. Let’s take a question from Linda. it okay to take both resveratrol and grape seed extract? Both of those are really awesome supports for eye health. And the answer to that is yes, you can start with a low dose to begin with and see how your eyes and body respond. But both resveratrol and grape seed extract are super great for eye health, eye circulation. And I don’t see why not you could take both of them. Let’s go to Bob. I have a eye distortion in one eye. The other eye seems really good, but the bad eye sees faces slightly stretched on the TV s

See All (368)

4.8
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Berne Podcast, a thought-provoking and informative journey with Dr. Sam Berne, an expert behavioral optometrist, and holistic health practitioner. Delve deep into the world of functional vision, eye wellness, and natural solutions for common and complex vision issues. Each episode explores Dr. Berne’s unique physical vision therapy protocols, integrating natural and holistic techniques to improve eye health, enhance vision, and support overall well-being. Whether you’re curious about functional vision therapy, seeking non-invasive ways to care for your eyes, or want to learn more about natural approaches to eye health, this podcast offers valuable insights for practitioners and individuals alike. Join Dr. Berne for engaging discussions, expert interviews, and actionable advice that will inspire you to see the world in a whole new way—naturally and holistically.

Information

You Might Also Like