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Welcome to Exile, a podcast about Jewish lives under the shadow of fascism. Narrated by award-winning screen and stage actor, Mandy Patinkin. Untold stories and firsthand accounts drawn from intimate letters, diaries and interviews found in the Leo Baeck Institute’s vast archive. Each episode, a story of beauty and danger that brings history to life. Because the past is always present. Starting November 1, episodes are released weekly every Tuesday. The Leo Baeck Institute, New York | Berlin is a research library and archive focused on the history of German-speaking Jews. Antica Productions produces award-winning non-fiction podcasts, films and series which inform and inspire audiences around the world.
The Berne Podcast with Dr. Sam Berne
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Контент предоставлен Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Health. Весь контент подкастов, включая эпизоды, графику и описания подкастов, загружается и предоставляется непосредственно компанией Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Health или ее партнером по платформе подкастов. Если вы считаете, что кто-то использует вашу работу, защищенную авторским правом, без вашего разрешения, вы можете выполнить процедуру, описанную здесь https://ru.player.fm/legal.
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.
…
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323 эпизодов
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Контент предоставлен Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Health. Весь контент подкастов, включая эпизоды, графику и описания подкастов, загружается и предоставляется непосредственно компанией Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Health или ее партнером по платформе подкастов. Если вы считаете, что кто-то использует вашу работу, защищенную авторским правом, без вашего разрешения, вы можете выполнить процедуру, описанную здесь https://ru.player.fm/legal.
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.
…
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323 эпизодов
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×-If you are a practitioner, consider joining my training. Contact me here to set up a free discovery call: https://bit.ly/4jSn293 For even more from Dr. Sam, check out his new exclusive membership where you get access to my content and resources, new information, articles, videos, webinars: https://drsambernesmembership.com/ Keywords eye health, lymphatic system, vision, detox, relaxation, vagus nerve, eye exercises, digital strain, inflammation, self-care Summary In this podcast, Sam Berne discusses the importance of the eye-limb connection and offers practical exercises to improve eye health. He emphasizes the role of hydration, movement, and the vagus nerve in maintaining clear eyesight and reducing symptoms like puffiness and strain. Techniques such as humming and eye massage are highlighted as effective methods for enhancing relaxation and lymphatic flow, ultimately leading to better vision and overall well-being. Takeaways For most of us, digital devices cause eye strain. The eyes rely on movement and hydration for health. Systemic inflammation can lead to eye brain inflammation. Eye massage can stimulate the vagus nerve. Humming is a powerful technique for relaxation. Palming helps in reducing stress and enhancing vision. Regular practice can lead to clearer eyesight. The ocular cardiac reflex slows the heart rate. Humming sends vibrations that activate the vagus nerve. Consistency in these techniques yields better eye health. Takeaways For most of us, digital devices cause eye strain. The eyes rely on movement and hydration for health. Systemic inflammation can lead to eye brain inflammation. Eye massage can stimulate the vagus nerve. Humming is a powerful technique for relaxation. Palming helps in reducing stress and enhancing vision. Regular practice can lead to clearer eyesight. The ocular cardiac reflex slows the heart rate. Humming sends vibrations that activate the vagus nerve. Consistency in these techniques yields better eye health. Sound Bites “Humming calms the nervous system.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Eye-Limb Connection 01:28 Understanding Eye Health and Lymphatic Function 02:57 Techniques for Eye Relaxation and Vagus Nerve Stimulation 06:19 Benefits of Humming and Eye Massage Sam Berne (00:01.634) Hey everybody. Welcome to the podcast today. It’s great to be here. So we’re going to talk a bit about the eye-limb connection how to drain and detox clear eyesight and vision. So the one thing I want to say to start off with is that you know, for most of us we spend our day on digital devices and I don’t know how many listeners out there followers. have things like puffy eyes strain redness and you’re concerned because you’re staring at a screen all day. Well in this podcast, what I want to do is I want to give you some exercises. Just a very simple approach on how to boost your eye lymph body connection because you see the eyes don’t have a direct lymphatic system and so they rely on movement. The eyes rely on movement hydration and proper circulation to get rid of inflammation and oxidative stress. So if you have any of those things like blurry vision puffy eyes, then stay tuned. So let’s talk a little bit about the lymph and since the eyes have no direct lymphatic connection. They do rely on hydration and movement and the eyelids are key player in this because they house the glands that produce the tears that keep our eyes from getting dry. So it’s very easy to get inflammation. In fact, a lot of systemic inflammation can lead to eye brain inflammation. Obviously what we eat gluten, dairy and sugar. our big factors, but also how we stare at our screen actually locks down our lymphatic function and this can cause these symptoms that I’ve spoken about. So the role of eye massage and I’ll talk a little bit of what I mean by eye massage. I’m also going to bring in what we call the Vegas nerve because the Vegas nerve is very important. Sam Berne (02:27.438) in our connection to our parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve runs from the brainstem to the face throat chest and into the gut. Now, one of the best ways to stimulate and balance your vagus nerve is by doing a simple process called humming and the power of humming and I palming is so critical for balancing the nervous system, increasing the lymph, increasing our vagus nerve and reducing our stress. So while we’re massaging and placing our hands on different parts of the body, this is a very powerful self-regulating technique that stimulates the vagus nerve. It calms the nervous system. It enhances lymphatic flow and it reduces our stress. So the way we do this is that you’re going to place first of all, you’re going to wash your hands. Hopefully your hands are clean. You’re going to place your fingertips over the eyelids. See how I’m doing the eyes are closed and I’m just making some circles. See how I’m doing this very lightly and I’m humming. So we’re going to do about 10 homes. Sam Berne (04:09.633) Also add the temples. Sam Berne (04:24.568) Now let’s move down to the jaws. Sam Berne (04:38.808) forward to go. Now we’re going to work on our vagus nerve which runs along the side of our neck and we’re going to be going down like this two hums. Sam Berne (05:01.974) In the last two, remain closed. You’re going to do the palming and the humming. Sam Berne (05:23.04) You can drop your hands and just connect in with your body. There should be some tingling brightness lightness, and then you can open your eyes and look around and I know for me when I hum like this, it actually relaxes me. It can actually reduce cortisol, increase oxytocin and serotonin those natural calming biochemicals. In the brain also humming can slow the heart rate lower the blood pressure and increase digestion and relaxation. The other thing that when you cup your eyes over the palms over your eyes, you’re you’re gently stimulating something called the ocular ocular cardiac reflex and this naturally slows the heart rate. I’ve done studies on heart rate variability doing this technique and I actually see the heart rate come down. Also, the other thing that the humming does is it sends vibrations through the skull and the sinuses and this further activates the vagus nerve, which which again is going to just create more relaxation. So this is a great technique for being able to reset your eye brain body connection. It’s definitely going to relax your nervous system and it’s going to rejuvenate your eyes. So give it a try. I’d love to hear your comments. Let me know how you’re doing. My suggestion would be to do these 10 homes like we did three times a day do it for a week and you will start to see more. resiliency in your eyes, less redness, less puffiness, less strain, more clarity. So let me know what you think about that. That’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in. Take care.…
-For even more from Dr. Sam, check out his new exclusive membership where you get access to my content and resources, new information, articles, videos, webinars: https://drsambernesmembership.com/ Are you a practitioner? Join his practitioner’s training today. Book a free discovery call with Dr. Berne https://calendly.com/drsamberne/retre… Keywords to the podcast today: myopia, eye health, computer use, prescription lenses, vision improvement, blue light protection, eye fatigue, relaxation, peripheral vision, eye doctor Summary In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne discusses the implications of myopia, particularly in relation to computer use. He emphasizes the importance of having the correct prescription for computer work to avoid worsening eye conditions. Dr. Berne suggests that individuals should request a second prescription tailored for computer use, which can help reduce eye strain and improve comfort. He also highlights the benefits of using blue light protection lenses and the importance of taking breaks from lenses to promote eye health. Takeaways • Myopia means seeing well up close but struggling with distance. • Using a distance prescription for computer work can worsen myopia. • Request a second prescription specifically for computer use. • Comfort and clarity are both crucial when choosing lenses. • A reduced prescription can help relax the eyes and improve peripheral vision. • Wearing a lower power lens can enhance eye health and circulation. • Taking breaks from lenses can reduce their reinforcing influence. • Blue light protection is essential for screen use. • Over time, a reduced prescription can become the new distance prescription. • Regular eye exams are important for maintaining eye health. Sound Bites • “This is a recipe for disaster.” • “You have to know how far away your laptop is.” • “Clarity is important, but comfort is just as important.” Chapters 00:00Understanding Myopia and Its Implications 02:57The Importance of Correct Prescription for Computer Use Sam Berne (00:00.568) Hey everyone, welcome to the program today. I’m going to be giving some advice on how to reduce myopia. People ask me questions whether or not you can actually improve myopia. Well, of course you can. In fact, you can improve your vision at any age. Hope you enjoy the show. Here we go. You could do to be proactive is you can download. A Snellen acuity chart. It’s free and print it out and put it somewhere 20 feet away. And that could be a measuring stick for you to see, you know, how close you are to passing the driver, the vision part of the driver’s test. In most states, you need 2040 and so you don’t need 2020. And 2020 means seeing a 1 third inch letter at 20 feet. So you’re you’re looking at a fairly sizable letter and as long as you can pass it with both eyes somewhere with a correction. There’s no problem. And now I’m going to deconstruct this a little bit for you and it may or may not make sense. It may not resonate. But here’s the pattern I see in you. Here’s the pattern. Growing up, you began to tense your eyes. And when you tense your eyes, you give up the distance to keep your world close to you. That’s the successful part of your seeing up close. Now what goes along with that tension sometimes is you feel Sam Berne (02:02.978) Like you have to defend yourself. Like you’re on a constant alert. Yeah, yeah, looking for threats looking for threats. Now that mental energy, whether it’s conscious or unconscious that you’re putting into your eyes because your eyes are the bodyguards for you. They’re like the advanced sentry, you know, that sits outside where you live and is watching. When’s the next fire? Do I smell smoke? What’s that siren? So your prescription in your eye is everywhere in your body. It’s not just in the eye. So the cataracts, you’re allegedly forming and I can give you what symptoms are. What a cataract is on a kind of a very deep level is I’m blocking what is coming at me and I’m blocking looking out. So it’s kind of like a boundary that you’re creating. It’s a hardening. You’re getting more fixed. And then with a floater, that’s like shocking, shocking transformation. Like there’s always this it’s like a pinball machine, a pinball that’s going all over the back of your eye and it’s got some congestion. It’s got the tissue is partly consolidated. It’s it’s very hard to predict. And again, it’s it’s related. To being really fixed and tight and locked in and You know, there are I exercises. I want to show you but the psychology of this is that You are mentally operating in a way where you’re on high alert all the time Sam Berne (04:20.746) And you’re you’re putting that through your sensory systems, especially your eyes and your ears. And what it’s doing is it’s beginning to affect the healthy tissue and the structures of the anatomy. Like it can’t even absorb the good nutrients that you’re feeding it. Thank God you’re, you know, conscious to do that because if you weren’t game over, you know. So, you know. I want to revisit for a second the that blurry vision exercise. I’m not going to make you go back and do that necessarily. But my point in that was to take away your habit of being used to having things a certain way, which is clear. Well, when you put them on, there’s no way for you to get clarity. You cannot focus through it and get the same level of resolution as you can with your glasses. And so what that what that lens is doing is an it’s an energy transformer. So think of your eye as a doorway of light that comes in and projects out. So the eye is one of the is one of the windows where light can get in. And when you wear a lens like from the optometrist, it’s a very specific window that concentrates and tunnels and tightens you up. It reinforces Sam Berne (06:23.35) your mental habit of protecting yourself hypervigilance stress. Yeah on high alert and what the blurry glasses do is it invites you to go into the other part of your nervous system, which is the parasympathetic nervous system. And you know, there’s a saying that what you don’t like or what you’re not really attracted to is probably the very thing you need to bring you into more balance. And that’s a tricky thing because you know, I don’t like spinach. So do I have to eat spinach to get into balance? No, there might be another way for me to do that. But your eyes have been eating a certain diet and the diet is a certain experience that you have been reinforcing when you wear those corrective lenses. It’s a whole body consciousness mind body emotional psychological even spiritual change. Sam Berne (07:48.502) Now, when you take the lenses off, the light pattern changes into the eyes and it’s more equally distributed. And then when you wear the blurry glasses, what it’s doing is it’s spreading the light into the dark areas of your retina that you cannot get to because it’s been lost. You know, you you spend this time tunneling and narrowing and tightening and making it resolved so you can see clearly because you can feel safer that way. There is a connection somewhere between safety and security and clarity. Again, you may not be aware. Those are the issues that I would suggest you explore and that’s why Like when you put on the plus lens, it’s like going to a whole new country. It’s very weird. And one of the things you could do with that is forget the patch for now. Put them on and see if you can walk around for a few minutes. Now, I wouldn’t walk up and down stairs. I wouldn’t walk out on the street, but Here’s the game that I’m inviting you to play. This is a game and the game is how many different experiences can you give your eyeballs? Sam Berne (09:35.694) You just want to make it more broadband. know, be like if you were in high school and I was your teacher and I said, you know, You look like you got some artistic abilities. Let’s send you to Paris. Go study for six months. And you don’t know French, you know, you’re like, well, I don’t know anybody there. This is like a big thing for me, but you go and you do it. And it gives you something that broadens you gives you more access to resource so that maybe 20 years later you’re applying for an advertising job or something and that creativity that you tapped into in Paris you can you that’s imprinted in you and you can use it. So the parallel is that when you wear the blurry glasses it forces you out of your habitual way of seeing and it’s really easy. When we do our workshops, it’s amazing. It’s it’s it’s incredible. So we’ll do a workshop, right? And we’ll do a process and I’ll ask people. Okay, what’s changed? Nothing. No, no, you got to come up with one thing that’s changed by doing the process. I’m telling you nothing is changed. I don’t like it. don’t know. So what what we talk about is when you see no change or there’s you you’re not like I’m not really into this. You’re probably going to stay in the same track. The track and for you to reverse cataracts. and floaters, you must come out of the track that you’re in. I mean, I like the idea of you going outside without your glasses being in the sunshine grounding yourself. I probably do that long swing exercise. Sam Berne (11:54.774) Yeah, I would do that and I would be super mindful of what are what are differences for you when you’re without your lenses and I’d write them down like I’ve started keeping a journal notebook. Okay, when I did dr. Burns blurry vision exercise today, what were three things that I noticed it could be? You know, I felt a lot more dizzy through those blurry glasses when I was moving. Well, that would make sense because it’s stimulating a lot more of your peripheral vision than you’re normally used to. It could make you very angry. It could make you very frustrated. It could give you a sense of relief like, I don’t have to worry about details. Sam Berne (12:54.188) I don’t know, but there is a deep, deep well of information that you’ve internalized into your eyeballs. It goes all the way back when you weren’t treated right. And I was done. Now I’m going to speak as a clinician. Got some data here. The higher the number in the prescription. The more well trauma. Yes, the more because of your sensitivity. You’re highly sensitive. You have this trauma that is energy in your eyes that’s now beginning to turn into floaters and cataracts. So how do you get out of this? Well, I’m creating an awakening like, okay. These could be and I’m sure this isn’t really new information. But the cause of your myopia is the incredible defense strategy and hypervigilance that you are still operating on. That was back then, but you’re still in that news cycle. Sam Berne (14:22.424) So. connecting your psychological and emotional perceptions to doing different things with your eyes is a way for you to begin to release it. Sam Berne (14:43.362) Like I’ve had people who’ve had emotional releases, right? I’ll have an emotional release, happens and we’re doing a process and it’s like, whoa. And after that emotional release, they can see the eye chart better. So energy that’s been internalized. blocks the function. Sam Berne (15:10.402) And it’s like we have a lid on the eyes. We open the lid. We open up the cap. There’s a lot of internalized energy that you’ve swallowed over the years. Especially when you were young. Sam Berne (15:32.13) So. There’s the blurry vision experience with just do both eyes, but I want you moving when you do it. Okay, walking, but I don’t want you to give up and if you’re so the the question the two questions you want to ask yourself. What do I see and how does it feel? Sam Berne (16:02.582) If I said to you off the top of your head, what does blurry vision mean to you? Okay, blur is danger. Love it. Blur is danger. Okay, so you’re going to do everything in your power to avoid experiencing blur. You’re going to avoid it. But do know what it’s going to give you clear eyesight? Sam Berne (16:28.994) And you’ve got a lot on the line here because now it’s starting to affect your independence, your driving. It’s like, I got his attention now. Sam Berne (16:41.996) We talk about embracing your blur. Going into the blur is the way you get clear eyesight. So what’s supposed to happen is if you wear those blurry glasses for a few minutes and you process through yeah, blur is danger blur is scary blur is fear blur is whatever it is and just say can I can I go into it a little more? I learn about my reaction to it? Can I be with it? Sam Berne (17:23.522) When you take those glasses off, what should happen is that your eyesight should now be clearer. Sam Berne (17:38.892) That’s what’s supposed to happen. Sam Berne (17:43.406) But the more resistance you have to that idea, again, you’re in a track, you’re fixed, right? It’s comfortable. But even I’m losing control of that because now my distance glasses aren’t working as well. So damn, my strategy isn’t working very well. Sam Berne (18:09.838) Does that make sense? Your eyes are five years old. There’s a saying that when you wear less prescription your eyes get to be a little older. When you wear more prescription that reverts you back to earlier time. That’s why in my view, you should be celebrating being able to wear the computer glasses because it’s taking you a little bit out of the danger zone mentality. But then one of the rules is if I’m not feeling safe in the circumstance, I’m in I’m always able to put my stronger glasses on. You always have that default because what I want you to do is make choices about what you want to look through so that you can see more clearly when you need to. I mean, it could be very simple. I don’t want to necessarily do this right now, but probably we could increase the distance prescription enough for you to be able to go take the test and pass it. They would be glasses you would never wear, but I’m sure that we could increase the prescription to the point where you’d have no problem walking in there and taking the test. The floater is the floater and the cataracts are symptoms. They’re not the problem. And I mean, I could give you the answer for the floater tomorrow. Doctors in Beverly Hills. He’s Sam Berne (19:58.574) a floater doctor that zaps floaters with a laser. If you don’t want to go to him, I know another guy in Dallas who does it. It’s called the floater’s doctor. So you play like a video game and he zaps your floaters. So that’s always there for you. One needs to be careful about laser on the eye because I had one case where it made the eye unseeable just created a cloud afterwards with another guy. It helped him. So he was, know, the he tried all the detox things and nothing worked and he was frustrated. So there you go. So you have those options available to you at any time. I know it’s not really where you want to go. And I think that what needs to really happen here is you need to do a bit of a reprogramming and then updating in your eye experience instead of being back at that five-year-old situation. So your homework will be a couple things if you choose to accept it. The first is even if you did it two or three days a week. Even one day a week put on those blurry vision glasses. And let your psyche come up around. Well, how’s this making me feel? What am I thinking and look how strong that safety response is in you that hypervigilant response and see if you can. Sam Berne (21:54.686) Embrace or surrender into the blur. What the blur is asking you to do is relax. Let go. It doesn’t have to be your way. So you’re doing that in a therapeutic circumstance, right? And you do some kind of a before and after measurement. Look out a window. Look look across the room. Look at that clock and even if it’s clear for a millisecond after you do the exercise that begins to prove to the mind that you can actually get clarity by going into the blur because right now I get it. You why would you want to trust that go into the blur? I want to try to get away from the blur. I got this these cataracts and floaters that you know, they’re strangling me. Sam Berne (23:01.432) So that would be the first one to do. The second one to do if this at all appeals to you, I’m not sure we did it. It’s called the eye dialogue. So in eye dialogue, let’s rewind a little in Chinese medicine. The right eye is the father and the left eye is the mother. It’s the same same in urology. So what you do is you cover you could use a bandana or a patch whatever, you know, you cover the left without glasses on and by the way when you when your glasses are off. You’re going to be more vulnerable, more internal and more real. When you put your glasses on, first of all, your eyes are way ahead of your body. And second of all, you are now in a persona. You are not authentic. You’re in something else be more critical. You’re going to be more judgmental because your vision is such where you’ve got that acute artificially created but that acuteness. So you’re going to pick up stuff. But it’s it’s a drug you’re on. Sam Berne (24:31.352) Glasses are a drug and they’re side effects. They make you hyper. They make you tighter. They make it’s like Ritalin. So you patch the left eye and I’ll send you some questions that you can ask your right eye wonder what the left eyes experience. Let’s ask the left eye. So cover the right eye that’s working on your inner vision. That’s part of the internalized energy that you swallowed because you couldn’t really do anything with Now, I don’t know whether this is true in your case, so I can’t say, but when I evaluate a child, I can tell exactly what the parent’s marriage is. The eyes are really just a mirror of what we see, what we’re taking in. Sam Berne (25:29.464) You know, I’m digesting what I’m seeing with my parents on a daily basis. I don’t know how to process this. I mean, I have clinical experience with evidence because I’ve seen so many kids. The problem is the parents, not the kid. You know, the father is over on one corner and the mother’s over in the other corner. I recently had an autistic kid. The father is a cardiologist. The mother is an artist. She says I want my kid to be treated by you. And I met with a cardiologist in my office and he railed me out left and right and he said that they would never stand for for this for me that I’m a quack and all that. So what ended up happening is she divorced him. I mean, they had a bad marriage and they were married and the guy was a jerk had no connection to anything except his rational science mind, which was very narrow. It was really hurting his kid. So, I mean, this is like this is our eyes are our our scroll of history at least for me. I can read somebody’s eyes and I can tell a lot about their life, you know. because I learned the patterns. And so what I’m saying about your pattern is your cataracts and floater you manifested it as a way to block things more and create more congestion and being fixed in. So what I want you to do is have different net have now have different experiences with your eyes. It’ll give you a new lease on life. It’ll it’ll allow you whatever happens. It will allow you to have a broader range of what’s possible. And so the blurry vision is the invitation. Can I relax into this blur? What can I learn about myself? What are my reactions to the blur? Write it down every day when you do it. Like you said blur danger. Everybody’s got that that’s nearsighted. I hate the blur. I’m out of control. Sam Berne (27:57.266) I hate the blur. could be shamed. I hate the blur because I could get it wrong. My teacher shamed me when I was in school. I mean the stories go on and on. had a lady. She’s an artist now. She said first grade. got a D in art. How do you get a D in art in first grade? She became myopic. So. The blurry vision glasses, the eye dialogue, and the third exercise is I’m going to send you a picture of some jelly beans. Okay, you’re to print it out. It can be black and white or color. If you got a color printer, you do that. All right. So this picture of jelly beans is what we call a soft focus 3D exercise. And you’re going to wear your computer glasses for this. This is the only time you wear the glasses. Wear the computer glasses. You take the jelly beans and you hold it up to your nose. So it’s touching your nose. Okay, touching your nose. You mentally look through it. So pretend you’re at Venice Beach and you’re looking out at the ocean. All right, but the jelly beans is here, but I’m seeing out in the ocean. You start pushing it away from your face and you start to look at the spaces between the jelly beans. You keep pushing it out pushing it out. The picture pops and you see 3d meaning that your two eyes are now synchronizing. Sam Berne (29:34.92) So some of the floaters look close. Some of the jelly beans look closer. Some of them look farther away that opens up the circulation in the lens of the eye and the vitreous where the floater is. I’d like you to do that exercise three times a day for like a minute or two. I you go on that computer all day. I’d love to see you. That’s a break from your you’re focusing. So that’s more of a physical therapy. exercise the other two the blurry vision glasses and the the eye dialogue are more of the internal vision and your your habits and conditioning and patterns. Sam Berne (30:22.53) Yeah, it’s it’s huge. I mean, I can’t underestimate it because if we don’t at least interface with that a little bit, you’re not going to make the changes just doing the physical exercises. Booming when you go to psychotherapy, you take your lenses off. If you don’t you should. You know, I guess, you know, it depends if you need to see the person but here’s the thing that I can say to you. When you take your lenses off, you don’t have the same obstacles and blocks. In defense. Remember your energy is going to be more equally distributed. Like I have a lot of massage therapists over the years. I’ve worked with. And I’ve said to them take your lenses off when you’re doing your treatments. And they’ll all come back and say to me, you know, when I have my lenses off, I’m much more intuitive. I’m much more connected. Sam Berne (31:25.847) And I want you to make that that crossover so that you get that. Sam Berne (31:34.066) I mean, I’m not saying do this right now. This would be your vision quest. Take a Sunday when you have no demands. Maybe Sunday isn’t the day Saturday or whatever day go on a vision retreat meaning don’t wear any of your glasses for four hours and notice what comes up for you. There’s going to be a detox. And energetic detox. Sam Berne (32:10.494) because we’re taking away the drug that you’ve been made dependent upon. Sam Berne (32:19.812) Exactly. It numbs you. Thank you. Yes, it does. It sure does numb you out. It disassociates you. That’s what it’s really doing. Part of you is out there your eyes. Maybe most of you is out there. You’re not in your body. When you take your lenses off, you are going to be more in your body because it’s so blurry out there. your fixation and your attention comes in. You develop the habit of being outside of yourself because of the danger. Sam Berne (33:02.804) You don’t have to do that anymore, but it’s going to take time for you to get your eyesight clear and wear less prescription. There’s because it’s split again. It’s a dissociated pattern, right? Yeah. So, you know, keep taking the supplements that feel good to you. that you feel like, okay, this is I like this and the ones you don’t put off to the side you to be much more mindful energetically what you’re putting into your body. What you’re seeing the difference when you take your your your lenses off. I want you to get more mindful. Mindfulness will heal you. Sam Berne (34:03.9) It will make you more connected to yourself and you’ll know what’s working in what’s not right now. I’m helping you, but I want you to get that and the floaters in the cataracts are symptoms. want you to start thinking of them as symptoms and not the diagnosis. The diagnosis is hypermental vigilance. That’s the diagnosis. So wear the blurry glasses and soften your attitude. Embrace the blur and do it in a circumstance where you feel a hundred percent safe be in the safest environment you can and nurture yourself. And this is a this is a loving act what you’re doing. You’re taking back your vision under the deepest healing things in your life. You know, that’s why you were able to meet me and do that. Everybody going in there. They’re not thinking like you. They’re not. They just say, give me the contacts. Give me the glasses. Give me the lasik surgery, you know, so very few escape the insanity. But you did.…
Join Dr. Berne’s membership: https://drsambernesmembership.com Join Dr. Berne’s Practitioner’s Program: https://www.drsamberne.com/practitioners-training/ Keywords holistic eye care, traditional eye care, vision therapy, eyesight improvement, eye health, diet and vision, glaucoma reversal, brain-eye connection, vision exercises, iridology Summary In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Sam Berne discusses the differences between holistic and traditional eye care, emphasizing the importance of treating the root causes of vision problems rather than just the symptoms. He shares his personal journey of overcoming severe nearsightedness through holistic methods and explains how vision therapy can benefit individuals of all ages. The discussion also covers the critical stages of visual development in infants, the distinction between eyesight and vision, and the impact of diet and lifestyle on eye health. Dr. Berne highlights the potential to reverse conditions like glaucoma and cataracts through holistic practices and emphasizes the deep connection between eye health and overall brain function. Takeaways Holistic eye care focuses on treating the cause, not just symptoms. Vision therapy can improve eyesight at any age. Early development stages significantly impact visual health. Eyesight is a static measurement; vision is dynamic. Diet and lifestyle choices directly affect eye health. Cataracts and glaucoma can potentially be reversed. The liver plays a crucial role in eye health. Craniosacral therapy can improve vision by enhancing circulation. Emotional and psychological factors influence vision. The eyes are an extension of the brain, reflecting overall health. Sound Bites “We treat the cause instead of the symptom.” “We can improve our eyesight anytime.” “I was seeing 2400 on the eye chart.” “Vision is how the eyes and brain work together.” “Eyesight is a static measurement.” “Cataracts can be slowed down or reversed.” “The liver is critical for absorbing nutrients.” “The eyes are the brain.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Holistic Eye Care 02:03 Understanding Holistic vs Traditional Eye Care 03:58 Personal Journey to Improved Vision 12:17 The Importance of Early Development in Vision 18:19 Distinguishing Eyesight from Vision 22:32 The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Eye Health 28:20 Reversing Glaucoma and Liver Health 33:05 The Connection Between Eyes and Brain Health Sam Berne (00:01) Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast today. So I’m being interviewed by Ashley Dealey and she is a wellness practitioner. She’s got a big following on Instagram. So I’ve agreed to be on her show and I thought I would do a recording and share it with you. So enjoy this it’s new information and here we go. Why don’t you call me Dr. Sam? Okay, Dr. Sam. then this is also when I remind my guests this is not a live podcast. Okay, so if something’s on the tip of your tongue or maybe your alarm goes off, don’t worry. I’ll edit it out. Okay. And then this is usually when I ask my guests to make sure to put their phone on do not disturb or airplane mode. Yep. That’s good too. We’re good to go. I would say, well, let’s just see how it goes. I don’t have a hard stop. yeah, we’re good. Yes. So I am just so excited that you’re here. If at any point you need to take a break, just let me know. Okay. edit this. So I’m going to go ahead and get started. Like I always do. Okay. Dr. Sam. Welcome to the show. It’s great to be here. Thank you, Ashley, for having me so excited. I feel like matches mine and I’m just thrilled to have someone so open-minded here. is to get a good understanding of what’s the difference between holistic eye care and traditional eye care. It’s pretty simple because in holistic eye care, what I’m doing is looking for the cause instead of treating the symptom. Also, I would say number two that I’m looking at the eyes as it relates to our metabolic systemic and psychological, emotional, spiritual health. And number three, the eyes are interrelated and interconnected to our awareness, our diet, our lifestyle, our stress. So it’s not just genetics. Yes, there’s epigenetics, but there are many factors that influence how we see and it actually starts very early in our life. And so when I figure out, okay, what are the causes? We treat those. Lots of times the symptoms actually just go away. So are you saying we could improve our eyesight anytime? Yes, we can from infants to elders. That’s the scope of my population, my community. I did it on myself very early on in my career. I was very nearsighted and I met a holistic eye doctor and I went through his physical vision therapy program. And in a period about six months, my eyesight improved to 2020 and I didn’t need my lenses anymore. And so I am firsthand experience of people being able to improve their vision at any age. Yes. That’s a fascinating story that I really want to dive into because I feel like in a regular optometrist office, you’re going to read an eye chart, be fitted for glasses or contacts, and then buy your prescription for glasses or contacts. So can you please tell me, how did you find this doctor and how did you change your vision? Hmm. Well, I was in a study group in the Northeast. That’s where I went to school. That’s where I grew up and I had heard about this doctor. He was in the 70s. His name was Dr. Albert A. Shankman and he wrote a book called Vision Enhancement Training. So he was a physical therapy type optometrist who practiced in Connecticut and he was, you know, on the shady side of the mountain of his career. And he was inviting certain young optometrists to year-long training on teaching us his methods of holistic vision care. And so I resonated with it because I had always been really open-minded. You know, even as a child growing up, there was a there was an openness that I had and a curiosity. So even though I went to a very conventional Optometry School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, which I’m really grateful I graduated there because it was a very disease focused, eye disease focused type practice school. And I had done some experiences in internships where I worked in holistic optometry practices. One was in California, one was in the East Coast. And I also had just finished a program learning how to treat children on the spectrum disorders. And this was called the Gazelle Institute in New Haven, Connecticut. So I was already primed to practice this way. And then when Dr. Shankman set that invitation, I jumped on it and I started to become a student of his. And then I went to him as a patient and started doing physical vision therapy. And that’s how I transformed the habits and patterns in my eyes. So that’s the short story. Well, I feel like I’m on the edge of my seat because now I want the long story. What was the physical vision therapy that you did to change your eyes and a two-part question? What was your eyesight before you saw him? So before I saw him, I was seeing 2400 on the eye chart. So that’s the biggie. I needed a really strong nearsighted prescription in order to function. And what? What he offered was a mind body approach. So he was a yoga teacher and he also taught meditation. you know, there there are I exercise programs out there that are very mechanical. So if you do certain amount of exercises every day, your eyesight gets better. But as soon as you stop doing the exercises, your eyes get worse. What he did was he really focused on what our belief systems were around our vision our attitudes and he worked a lot with our movements our body movement and different lens prescriptions that we would use as exercise prescriptions. He worked a lot with each eye separately and we delved into what were some of the psycho-emotional patterns around why we developed our vision. I was nearsighted. That was my diagnosis. Nearsighted is I pull the world in, I tighten up, I get very defensive and you know, I was a memorizer. I always had a hard time learning to read. My mom took me to a lot of different educational tutors and we could never figure out why I wasn’t a good reader. And so I became a memorizer and I went to an eye doctor and he gave me nearsighted glasses when I was about eight years old. at 10. up my eyes, but it didn’t really treat the problem, which was Dr. Shankman diagnosed me as having my two eyes not working together and my left eye wandering out. And that’s why I saw double vision and I had poor attention. So through his vision therapy techniques, I was able to learn to coordinate both eyes together. So my double vision went away and my reading took off. And so then I didn’t need the tension in my eye muscles to do the work, the schoolwork that I was asked to do. And so since I didn’t need that tension anymore, I methodically started to reduce my prescription and with each prescription reduction I I felt more relaxation in my nervous system and more openness. remember I had started a practice in Philadelphia and one day my staff said to me, know, you’re really different. What what’s happening? You seem more relaxed and I said, well, I’m going through vision therapy and my my eyes are more relaxed. Therefore, I’m more relaxed and they said, yeah, you don’t have your edge. You’re not as intense. So that’s that was a real breakthrough moment for me to really I how strongly my vision affected my affect my behavior my reactions and when I got to the point where I didn’t need my prescription anymore. was able to see possibilities in a different way and that’s what inspired me to move out to New Mexico because I didn’t have the fear anymore. I could see possibilities and so I sold my Pennsylvania interests and moved to Santa Fe. This was in 1990 and up a holistic practice there. But that moment of wow, I could actually do it and you know that that permission, know, most eye doctors you go to their offices and you know, bless their heart. Their whole thing is let’s measure and give you the strongest prescription. But what they’re actually doing is perpetuating the same problem. They’re not really treating the problem. They’re treating the symptom and that’s why people get strong. stronger and stronger glasses like you referenced. Yeah, you get new glasses every year because the doctor keeps increasing your prescription and that’s a formula for making your eyes even worse by wearing that super strong prescription that he or she is giving you. And of course, there’s the the feedback that you get this strong prescription to go. Wow, I’m dizzy. I’m nauseous. I don’t like it. It’s making me sick and you go back and the doctor says well, don’t worry. You’ll you’ll get used to it. And you don’t want to get used to something that’s making you dizzy or nauseous, but that’s what we do. We internalize a lot of our visual experiences through our eyes, but we have no place to express it except, know, swallow it. Just, you know, this is how it is kid. So I’ve really over the years have helped thousands and thousands of people get free of just the programming that has been put into them by going to the eye doctor’s offices. with that story, especially about being a bad. reader because I have a cousin who has a nine year old and he doesn’t like to read. And so now I’m wondering, does he need to see a holistic eye doctor? And I also really like what you say about treating the whole person because I feel like in the mainstream conventional medical structure that we have, it’s a sick care system and the eyes are separate. Why would anybody look at anything else when you could just look at the eyes? So I would love to hear how you help treat infants all the way to elderly people. So with infants, first of all, one of the most there are three really important stages. One is in utero. That’s when our sensory systems really start developing. We’re floating in our mom’s waters. And so that’s developing our peripheral vision, our vestibular system. And then the second… milestone is when we actually are born and that imprint of when we come out of the birth canal or if it’s a c-section or There’s the forceps delivery or there’s been some stress birth trauma really impacts our sensory motor systems And then number three is the bonding period, know what we go through like initially when you’re born and you’re laying on your mom and there’s this oxytocin flowing through and all this love, you know kids that are put in incubators or or, know, preemie babies or, you know, all kinds of weird things that happen that affects our sensory motor development as well. I’m including the eyes in that because our eyes originate from the brain very early on after conception. So every structure of the eyeball is brain. In fact, the eyes are the only part of the brain that sit out of what we call the cranial vault, the skull, but the eyes are such a an intimate part of our brain. And that’s why we can improve our vision because there’s a neuroplasticity capability in our vision if we’re shown the way and so in infants a lot of times they may be diagnosed with crossed eyes or lazy eyes. Well, the last thing you want to do is put glasses on a child or do eye muscle surgery at that age. There are stimulating activities that can help improve an infant’s vision very early on and we call it visual stimuli. because their world is mostly you know here and so there are definitely prescribed activities that you can do to help an infant then we go into a toddler and then you know we go into a you know a child the the the things of learning how to hop and skip and swing on a swing and go down a slide and you know spin these are all things that help develop our vision and our sensory motor program. So I want to make a distinction here between eyesight and vision. Eyesight is reading the eye chart at 20 feet. That’s a static measurement and that’s eyeballs and glasses. Vision is how the eyes and the brain and the body work together. So it’s very much brain centered. Most eye exams are eyesight based and then they check for disease. They’re not testing for vision. And vision is a skill that you start developing in utero. These three experiences that I’ve named have a strong influence on our visual coordination, our visual tracking, our visual focus, even though it’s very early in the nonverbal time. And then as a child develops and they’re learning to read, they need to have those visual skills to be able to read. I I certainly didn’t have those skills and sounds like the nine-year-old you referenced maybe has a deficit in the visual skills. So it affects our visual processing, our visual thinking, our visual moving. All of those things can be repaired through vision therapy, which is a reeducation. process of relearning of how the eyes, brain, and body work together. Now if we fast forward to adults, when we hit age 40 we start needing reading glasses, our arms aren’t long enough. Well, when you start wearing magnifying glasses that actually weakens the eye muscles and so then you get addicted to these magnifiers and they only make your eyes worse. So there are exercises that you can use to repattern the eye muscles in the brain. So you don’t need those magnifying glasses. All right. Now let’s move to age 60 870. This is when people start developing conditions like cataracts like over 90 % of the population. is going to develop cataracts. Well, cataract is really oxidative stress that accumulates in the protein of the lens and in early stage cataracts and or if you’re proactive, you can actually slow down the progression of cataracts and even reverse cataracts. Macular degeneration is the number one leading cause of blindness today. Why is that? Well, it’s related related somewhat to our diet, our stress, our screen time. And so there are protocols that you can do to slow down or even reverse macular degeneration. And the third big died disease is glaucoma, which is a problem with eye pressure and it affects our peripheral vision. Well, there are things that you can do to slow that degradation down and in some cases even reverse glaucoma. So now you’ve seen the spectrum from infants to elders that you know, these are the people that I work with. my goodness, you just gave me so much information. I’m going to, excuse me, I’m going to unpack some of what you said bit by bit. And where I wanted to start was. You said that eyesight isn’t the same as vision and there’s exercises that we can do to strengthen our eyes. So Dr. Sam, can you walk me through the shape of the eye, the muscles and what we can do to strengthen our eyes? Okay, so the eyes sit in an eye socket. This bony orbit and there’s six eye muscles two on the top two on the bottom one on the outside one on the inside. Those are called extraocular muscles. So they help us track and move and rotate our eyes very important for eye movement. So the brain has got to be really connected to controlling those six muscles and then inside the eye. There’s a tiny little lens like maybe a third of the way back from the front. of the eye and that lens has little ligaments or ciliary muscles we call them to change the shape of the lens. know, and based on that, that helps us with our focus, our ability to see clearly. Now what happens is when we start develop blurry vision, we go to the eye doctor and there’s a deficit. We don’t see the eye chart as well. And then there’s the whole question of which lens is clear number one or number two and let’s Let’s say you’re having a bad day. Let’s say you’re a mom and your your child is sick and you’re worried about her and you’re going to this exam and it’s a high-pressured situation to begin with and he’s flipping the lenses, which is clear one or two one or two. Come on. You got to pick one. So you pick number two and you’re you’re stressed out to begin with that lens fixes your vision in that particular position based on that bad day that you were having. So then for the next year. to you’re looking through this lens this reality based on a decision you made and most likely it’s going to be too strong for you. And again, we’re just treating the symptoms here. There are relaxation exercises, their eye movement exercises. There are awareness exercises that can help release the tension which then gets rid of the blur. So that’s one thing. Then the other aspect is what do you eat? You know, what’s your diet like? And one of the modalities that I use is I analyze the colored part of the eye. The colored part of the eye is called the iris and the process is called uredology and the iris is a map to the entire body. And so I take really good pictures of the irises and I look for patterns and those patterns can tell me genetic tendencies like what has been passed down through the genes. The right eye is the father eye. The left eye is the mother eye or the grandfather grandmother. And then you could look at things like your liver health liver gallbladder health because the liver is rules the eyes in Chinese medicine. We can look at the pancreas and what your blood sugar levels is. So sugar is really poisonous for your eyes. We can look at your thyroid health. We can look at, your respiratory health, your heart health. So iridology and it’s been around for a long time. It was actually really fathered in by a doctor named Bernard Jensen. You could Google him and I became certified in iridology. I’ve taken all the tests and studied it. And so it’s well part of my If somebody is having an unusual vision problem, I will do an iridology analysis and that tells me a lot about what they should be eating, what supplements, what herbs, what essential oils, flower essences, lots of things. And based on that, it’s a roadmap to bring people’s vision back to health. So it’s that two-pronged. One is more functional and the second is more on the biochemical. said about the liver. I’ve heard you mention that before, but I also want to go back to where we were going to unpack that first lot of information. So I was also curious to learn. little bit more about, let’s say you put on those glasses and you say they weaken your muscles around around your eyes. So what can we do then, and maybe this is a bit redundant from what you already said, but what can we do to wean ourselves off of wearing glasses? Well, I think finding a doctor who does physical therapy, vision therapy because it’s going to be a combination of what habits created the blurry vision that that’s kind of what happened in my case. What were the habits that created? The prescription so in nearsightedness my habit was I pulled the world in and farsightedness people tend to push the world away in astigmatism. They twist the world. So when the doctor is testing the eyesight the doctor also needs to test. Well, what are the visual habits? What are the visual skills that have created the blurry eyesight? And then based on that, maybe giving 60 or 70 % of the prescription so that you can function, so you can pass the driver’s test and you can drive and you can read, but then starting to do physical vision therapy and it’s very individualized based on what your deficits are. And then you can start wearing a reduced prescription. That’s what I did. That was what I shared when I was in my office. I had a prescription for driving and I had a reduced prescription that I wore indoors. And the more I wore that reduced prescription, my eyes flexed into that reduced prescription. And then eventually it became my distance prescription. So I incrementally started to reduce that first prescription that the doctor gave me. You know, another thing that works really well is in non demanding and non threatening situations start taking your glasses or contacts off. There’s a practice I recommend called going on a vision retreat. It’s called a vision quest and if you wear lenses, you take four hours on a weekend like a Saturday or a Sunday and you don’t put your lenses in at all and you function without the lenses and you use the experience to learn about your reactions without having the lenses in what is your relationship with blur? Are you totally dependent on your lenses or can you function what comes up for you emotionally spiritually energetically when you don’t go without these lenses? It’s kind of like a vision detox. I saw you do detox stuff. Well, this is a vision detox where you take the lenses off and you don’t wear them. Remember the lenses are approved by the FDA. They’re a drug and they have side effects. And so when you start Weaning yourself off a drug, you’re going to have side effects and the toxicities that have been created from this prescription are going to start to show up. And so in this vision quest or vision retreat where you sequester yourself in an environment where there’s no demands on you and you can start to really notice what your patterns are. So this is a question for all your listeners who wear glasses or Context take them off and give me three belief systems that you feel around blurry vision. And just to kind of cue people a little bit give them a context most people in blurry vision a feel out of control be are afraid they’re going to get hurt and see they’re afraid they may get criticized. So all of those things creates a fear and a hypervigilance in their attitude. So when I have a hypervigilant attitude, I got to be on, you know, fight or flight all the time. I’m going to put that that fear through my eyeballs. That’s one of the main causes of why people need glasses because of that, that early programming in the hypervigilance that they’re having to deal with. So it’s a, it’s a very interesting way of healing from the inside out, looking at your thoughts and belief systems and attitudes of what created the blur to begin with. It reminds me of a book that I read about 10 years ago that I found completely fascinating where this person had multiple personality disorder. And in one of her personalities, she needed reading glasses. And in the other personality, she had perfect vision. And that was the first time that I think the light had kind of… peeked open for me or at least peeked my interest and I couldn’t believe someone could change their eyesight. I found it so fascinating. So I really resonate with what you’re saying about people’s habits and lifestyles and what are their environments like. I also wanted to go back to where you said you could potentially reverse glaucoma and talking about the liver in Chinese medicine. So can you walk me through how can we possibly reverse glaucoma? Okay. Well, I’m to start off with when I first moved to Santa Fe and Santa Fe is a pretty alternative community, even though an eye doctor’s there. There was no alternative eye doctors, but there were, I think at the time to acupuncture schools. And so I enrolled in one of them because I wanted to learn the relationship between the eyes and acupuncture. And I remember one of the very early lectures. And the professor knew I was a practicing licensed eye doctor. He looked at me and he said, did you know that the liver and the gallbladder are critical for our ability to absorb fat soluble nutrients? And did you also know that some of the most famous fat soluble nutrients are really important for the eyes like vitamin A lutein? and zeaxanthin and moat and he said most people have a congested liver and gallbladder because of the toxicities we’re living in and we could go into you know variety of reasons it could be dental health mercury amalgams it could be trauma in the head it could be being exposed to mold or you know those kinds of toxins parasites yeast infections in any case the liver the meridians go right to the eyes and that if you clean up the liver and the gallbladder your eyesight is going to get better and I remember studying herbs and milk thistle and burdock root and yellow dock. I would give those to people that had you know eye diseases for example, like you mentioned glaucoma. And lo and behold, their eye pressure would come back to normal or their cataracts would would reduce or their macular degeneration would get better. I call macular degeneration by the way, macular regeneration so that you know that that mindset is like, you know, we hear that diagnosis and it’s just like game over not really. So in any case the That the liver gallbladder is so important in doing some kind of cleansing or supporting and I’ve seen it thousands of times where people’s eyesight gets better. The glasses reduce their their eye disease goes away and in doing acupuncture you’re redistributing the energy. let’s say you have a puffy or you have swollen this around the eyes. If you start doing acupuncture either around the eyes, but you can also do it, know, distally in other places. It actually redistributes the energy and by redistributing the energy those symptoms go away. So the liver and the gallbladder and I’m going to also add our digestive health, our spleen, our pancreas our thyroid, you know, all those endocrine glands have a very strong influence on our visual system and part of it is because this is such a blood vessel rich area, you know, and we require a lot of oxygenation and hydration to keep those oxidative stress molecules away. And one of the issues that I see with most people is they have a lot of oxidative stress. They have low and the killer is inflammation. And so when they’ve got that inflammation and their lymph system isn’t working well. You know, for example, in iridology, if you’ve got blue eyes, you’re what we call lymphatic. You need to take really good care of your lymph system or you’re going to have all kinds of health issues and eye issues. And the other thing is you need you need to stay away from gluten, dairy, sugar, because as a blue-eyed person, the lymphatic system, it’s very easy for you to get inflammation and that’s going to be a killer for you. So, you know, there’s all these connections. I think you want to say something so I’m gonna turn it over to you what you Eye health is so important and it seems like one of those things that isn’t quite moving in the medical field. Everyone takes their kids to the eye doctor. Everyone has the same vision test. And I’ve heard you say, I’ve done a lot of research on you before and I’ve heard you say the eyes are an extension of the brain all the way from in utero. So knowing that. and what you mentioned about taking care of ourselves, no sugar, no gluten. What can you tell me about the relationship with the eyes and the brain? Well, the eyes are the brain. They’re, you know, an outer representation. Some of the latest research is showing that we can actually see amyloid plaques in the retina or the optic nerve. And that could be the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia by looking at the eyes. Another thing that we can say is that if you can improve the cerebral spinal fluid from the brain to the eyes and the eyes to the brain, you can lower eye pressure, which is the glaucoma situation. So another modality that I studied when I moved to Santa Fe was I was working with kids with birth trauma. I work a lot with occupational therapists and physical therapists and teachers and all these kids had birth trauma and some of them had strabismus, the eyes were crossing, they had learning issues and it was mentioned to me, I think you need to learn craniosacral therapy. So I enrolled in the massage school. Well, first I went to the upledger. Institute and I took a lot of their courses, which I really liked and that was more muscular skeletal level and then at the massage school I learned the biodynamic craniosacral so that was more of the fluid part of the body and I began doing craniosacral on my patients and this is a really interesting story. So people would come in and I’d measure their eyesight at distance and I’d measure their prescription and then my massage table was right next to my eye exam equipment. So I’d say lay down and I’ll do an hour of craniosacral and then after the craniosacral session, I put them back in the exam chair and invariably their prescription was 30 to 50 % less and that’s what I would give them and they would love those prescriptions because their system was relaxed. It was the nervous system was balanced. They weren’t in that, you know, one or two or in that machine the foropter. So it taught me that craniosacral has a very strong effect. on the cranial nerves and the muscles and the fascia and the connective tissue around the eyes. And as I got more into traumatic brain injury patients, that was another thing that I researched and that was back in Philadelphia. It’s funny because when I first opened, I opened a practice up with a holistic eye doctor whose name is Dr. Ellis Edelman and he was like one of my great mentors and we became partners and he passed away about 10 years ago, but. One of the things that happened was I couldn’t get any patients to come see me. It was really difficult because Philadelphia at that time was very medically oriented. So I went to the local hospitals and I volunteered with the physiatrist there that hey, I can work with your brain injury patients. They all have double vision. They can’t walk there, you know, they can’t read their memory is off. And so I began applying a lot of these physical therapy. exercises and color therapy and you know some of the other techniques I learned and they all got better and so from that experience I began to start to get patients word-of-mouth because I was doing this great work and with the TBI population. The other thing I did in Philadelphia and I still do this today I work with special needs kids. So these are kids that have been written off Down syndrome, minimal brain dysfunction, severe developmental delays, severe autism. So I started working with these kids and they got better. And so that was another way that I word of mouth. was like, hey, this guy’s working with special needs. He’s working with TBIs. The regular eye doctors don’t have the time or interest to work with these populations. fast forward when I moved to Santa Fe, I affiliated with a clinic in Albuquerque called Kid Power. You could look it up, Kid Power Associates. And I began consulting there and I still do to This day I go down a couple times a year from Santa Fe. This population is amazing because these kids are been written off and they’re doing primitive reflex therapy and vision therapy and sound therapy and craniosacral and nutrition stuff and I’ve kind of helped them in certain areas. And so it’s a great match to do that. But the craniosacral is so important around the brain health because it just improving the circulation. You think about a newborn that there’s a forceps delivery. Well, what they want to do is put a helmet on a kid and try to force the skull to go back into alignment. I mean, it’s Neanderthal stuff. But if you do craniosacral, then this starts to breathe more the cranial rhythm and this is going to affect not only the eyes, but the ears and the body and the whole situation. It’s pretty obvious how interrelated the eyes and the brain are. So here’s a statistic. The eyes in the brain make up 2 % of the body weight. and use 25 % of the food intake. So 25 % of what we eat is needed in this metabolically needed area. And that’s why what we eat has such a strong effect. on our eyesight and vision. And when I started to study functional medicine, I could see the relationship in this eye brain health and then the gut, you know how the gut and the eyes and the brain come together. I’ll say one more thing because this is another really nice story. So when I was writing my first book in Santa Fe, it’s called creating your personal vision. I wrote that book in 1994. You can still get it in their new editions out now. I think you can get it on Amazon. but I was interviewing a woman who was a master nutritionist and her name was Dr. Hazel Parcells and Dr. Parcells was 103 when I met her and she was just starting a retreat center in northern New Mexico. And so I became a student of hers for three years. She died at 106 and taught me a lot about energy healing and other things that are a little more esoteric that we could get into if you want to. But Dr. amazing around nutrition. knew food combining, what to cook with, and we had a good run together. There’s a book about her called Live Better Longer. The author’s name is Dispensas. So your listeners out there, they want to learn about Dr. Parcells. What an amazing woman. But she was really focused on the brain, the eyes, the nutrition, and it kind of all came together for me when I moved to Santa Fe. I met some extraordinary people that kind of pushed me in different directions.…
To learn more about Dr. Berne’s Practitioner Program go to: https://www.drsamberne.com/practitioners-training/ For exclusive content go to his membership: https://drsambernesmembership.com Keywords functional vision, dynamic vision, static vision, visual regard, pupil testing, eye alignment, tracking skills, convergence, divergence, primitive reflexes, near-far fixation, suppression, visual midline, vestibular ocular reflex, Harmon distance Summary In this podcast episode, Dr. Sam Berne discusses the concept of functional vision screening, emphasizing the difference between dynamic and static vision. He explores various assessments and exercises that can help improve visual skills, coordination, and overall learning abilities in children. Key topics include the importance of visual regard, pupil testing, tracking skills, convergence and divergence, primitive reflexes, and the significance of the Harmon distance in reading. The episode provides valuable insights for parents, educators, and therapists working with children who may have visual processing challenges. Takeaways Functional vision is dynamic and involves the brain and body. Head posture can significantly influence visual problems. Visual regard is essential for effective motor planning. Pupil response can indicate stress and visual issues. Convergence is crucial for reading and visual tracking. Primitive reflexes play a key role in visual development. Near-far fixation exercises enhance copying and reading skills. Suppression of one eye can indicate underlying vision problems. Visual midline assessments help understand spatial awareness. The Harmon distance is critical for optimal reading posture. Sound Bites “Functional vision is dynamic, not just eyesight.” “Head posture can influence vision problems.” “Pupil response can indicate stress levels.” “Convergence is crucial for reading skills.” “Primitive reflexes affect visual skills.” “Near-far fixation improves copying skills.” “Suppression can indicate a vision problem.” “Visual midline affects spatial awareness.” “The Harmon distance is vital for reading.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Functional Vision Screening 03:07 Understanding Dynamic vs Static Vision 05:56 Assessing Coordination and Posture 09:13 The Importance of Visual Regard 11:59 Pupil Testing and Eye Alignment 15:11 Tracking Skills: Pursuits and Saccades 18:11 Convergence and Divergence in Vision 21:14 The Role of Primitive Reflexes 23:47 Near-Far Fixation Exercises 26:54 Understanding Suppression in Vision 30:12 Visual Midline and Balance 33:12 Vestibular Ocular Reflex (VOR) Testing 35:49 The Harmon Distance and Its Importance 38:51 Conclusion and Future Considerations Sam Berne (00:00.066) Hey everyone, welcome to the podcast today. So I’m doing a little more teaching in what we call functional vision screening. So the difference between functional vision, which is dynamic and static vision, which is eyesight is huge. And when we start talking about how to use these two eyes in relationship to the brain and body. We can do a number of tests that can help us determine what’s the best course of action and being able to help a person improve their vision. So again, I’m going to invite you in and part of the lecture today that we did with our class. I think you’ll find it to be very interesting. Again, if you have any questions, you can send me an email appointments at dr. Sam burn.com. Enjoy the show everyone. So this is called assessing functional vision. And this is a this is a an assessment that I have developed over the years and I’ve given it to many occupational therapists physical therapists teachers people like yourself. And so I will give you a worksheet that you can use to actually take the notes when you actually do the testing but for today today. We’re just going to start in on the ideas of it. So here we have a person who’s on a Boza ball and we’re working with the inner ear, the vestibular system, which is very tight into vision. And I’ll talk more about that in a few minutes. Sam Berne (01:53.174) So what I did here is I made a list of things that relate to each other. Like for example, if you have a child who tilts their head. They usually have what we call a stigmatism, which means that the eye is shaped more like an egg instead of being round like a ball. And a stigmatism effect is influenced by our posture head posture neck posture. So there’s that relationship head tail a stigmatism now double vision meaning I see two of something that could be related to something called stimming coordination problems. So that could either be body coordination problems or visual coordination. So it could either be gross motor or fine motor or both a lot of times there is a gross motor coordination problem and they can even relate to some of the primitive reflex primitive reflexes that aren’t integrated and we’ll save the primitive reflexes for another lecture, but You know, you can ask your your client. Do you ever see two of things and a lot of times they’ll say, yeah, I do and the parents are like, I never heard that. So if you don’t ask the question then you know, the child just thinks double vision is normal. Another behavior that you might see in the double vision is they like to cover or close an eye, especially when they read. Or you can look at their eyes and their eyelids and the eyelid droops. gets heavy. Another thing you can notice is that the pupils which is the control of the light. It’s the black circle is always dilated. And if you see a child that’s always got dilated pupils, they’re under a lot of stress. There’s a there’s a big stress response in their system. So Sam Berne (04:01.354) In general head position and posture. One of the things that I like to do is really observe how the child is writing and reading watch the child while he or she is hopping skipping or galloping and one clinic that I work in. We actually observe the child walking on a either a two by four or a piece of tape that was like a masking tape that we put along the floor and they have to walk on that forwards and backwards and we observe the arms the hands the legs the feet and then there’s an exercise called the duck walk pigeon walk and this is where you ask the child to turn their feet out like a duck and start walking. And with most of the kids that I’ve worked with when they do the duck walk or the pigeon walk is when the feet are turned in like a pigeon. You will see the upper part of the body kind of turning in or turning out as a way to try to help the feet stay in the position. You’re asking them to stay on. You can also look at their arms and their hands while they’re walking and it’s going to clue you in that they’ve got some kind of motor developmental delay and many times it’s related to again, the primitive reflexes not being integrated if they’re in a therapy situation and I see this behavior on the pigeon walk or the duck walk. I’ll do something called Socratic guidance, meaning that I’ll start asking them questions. Hey, Johnny, is there another way you can hold your arm or hold your hand? Sam Berne (05:56.801) And so that they are in a discovery mode of going. well, my hand was turned in. What if I turn my hand out as just as an example? So Socratic guidance is a technique where instead of saying, you’re doing it wrong or correcting them, which really is a missed opportunity for them to become better at problem solving because that’s this whole this whole process is teaching them to be experts of problem solving first with their body coordination and then thinking and then eventually they can transfer that to school. So when you’re doing the Socratic guidance, you’re artfully you’re skillfully asking them questions and guiding them to a place where they try something else and they’ve got the confidence because they’re not afraid that you’re going to correct them. They’re going to be in an open space of just well, can I explore it a different way? And then when they come to the right answer you go. Well, what do you think of that? And they might go. Yeah, that makes sense. So then you’re validating their experience in solving the problem. And I see this a lot with parents where especially the mom she’s always like trying to correct her son and I have to say, okay. Please be quiet, step back because we don’t want you to correct your son because he’s going to get this complex where he’s going to be afraid to try things. And so we teach the parents ask questions to guide the child so that they have the discovery of the answer. Okay, another thing that you can look at while they’re walking is their eye fixation. Are they walking with their eyes pointing downward like at the ground or upward like at the sky or off to the one side or the other? It’s going to give you information perhaps on what side of the the body they they Sam Berne (08:03.691) have a preference towards and ultimately we want them to have a wider peripheral vision so that they can go down. can look up. They can look to the side, but they also have a centering point because the next thing this is a not talked about very much. It’s called visual regard and the definition of visual regard is It refers to the act of using your vision to locate focus on and attend to an object in the environment. It is a foundational skill in motor planning. Okay, so I see where I need to go first and then I move my body based on the decision where I’m looking. This is so important in sports. For example, kicking a soccer ball playing basketball playing baseball tennis golf any of these when you look ahead and you know where you’re looking then you’re planning your body to move through that and there are there are exercises that you can do to improve motor plan. Using visual regard because it’s going to affect coordination. It’s going to affect how the person is relating to themselves and objects out there and it also visually guides the hands and body. We call this proprioception. I know where my arms and my legs are as I’m using my vision. This gets a little more interesting when we start putting them in gravity situations where they’re jumping say on a rebounder while they’re reading a heart chart as an example so that there is a visually guided movement and their body follows that particular movement. Sam Berne (09:56.553) So visual regard is something not a lot of therapists talk about, but it’s really really important. So what are some functional examples of that eye hand coordination or visual regard? Well, one is reaching for a cup. You know, one of questions I ask moms a lot is does your child spill their milk? Do they spill their juice? And that tells me that their visual visual regard is not accurate. So they have difficulty judging location guiding their hands towards an object because their eye is tracking it or not tracking it. Another place will see it is in reading. So skipping words being able to follow letters words on a page and then finally playing sports, which I talked about tracking a ball in motion calculating its trajectory and preparing to catch it involves visual regard. And when you get really good with visual regard, you’re great at anticipating where the teammate is where the ball is and this is where the the athletes really take off when they start being able to plan ahead and they can almost tell where things are going to be before they get there. Kids they bend over when they’re bouncing the ball, especially if I’m adding a metronome and they think by bending over they can be faster with catching the ball and throwing the ball. And so we’re always in this correcting mode of asking them the question. Well, hey Johnny, what would it be like bouncing the ball? If you just stood up straight up? What would that be like? And then he goes, wow, it’s actually easier on my muscles, but it’s the vision that’s leading the body here. It’s not the Sam Berne (11:50.007) muscles leading the vision. It’s vision leading the body and in the physical therapy that you and I are talking about. I feel that the more we can get the vision into the body and the more we can get the body into the vision that really solves the issue for the kids around their learning disabilities and their reading problems because it’s not just the eyeball experience as one of my teachers used to say a vision problem is more than in the eye. It’s in the whole child and going on to this next slide. When you look at the pupil and when you come here, we’re going to do some pupil testing. You have a pen light and you shine the light towards the eye and the the pupil should actually get smaller when the light comes to the eye with a lot of these kids. What happens is the pupil doesn’t constrict it stays really big really dilated and then there’s the issue where one pupil is big. With one eye say the right eye and the left eye, the pupil is small and that’s called anisocoria and that could be a neurological problem. It could be a stress problem. It could be a trauma or toxicity issue. But the pupils are there to kind of show us what’s happening on the nervous system level. And also when a child is reading a book and starts to bring it close, the pupil should get smaller as the person brings the book closer to their face. Sam Berne (13:29.761) Just as like when they move the book farther away or at this point is probably the tablet. The pupils should get slightly larger. So we will do some testing in the area of having a pen light and being able to test the pupils so you can see the movement again when it’s light when there’s a lot of light the pupil should get smaller when there’s dim light the pupil should get bigger or more dilated. And one of the tests I’m going to teach you is something called the Hirschberg test. And this is a test where you have a pen light and we’re going to talk about the Harmon distance in a little bit. That’s the distance that is about 12 to 14 inches from a person’s face. And what you do is you shine the light towards the the the person’s eyes and you look at where the pupils The light is reflecting off the pupils. So it’s a way for you to see alignment. So you probably have worked with kids where when you look at them one of their eyes might be wandering in. One of their eyes might be wandering out. One of their eyes might be going up. One of their eyes might be going down. So in this Hirschberg test, they’re looking at the pen light. You’re right in front of them and you want to make sure they have alignment. If they have misalignment, two things could be going on. One is double vision and two is suppression, meaning the brain is shutting off the eye to avoid double. So we have in this slide, the technical term, esotropia. is when the eye is crossing exotropia is mean one eye is looking outward. So you’ll see the reflection of the light on the inside part of the pupil and then you’ve got the hypertropia where one eye is up and hypotropia where one eye is deviated down. So you can have a vertical split. You can have a horizontal split. I’m going to tell you this most of these kids have one of these four issues. Sam Berne (15:39.453) esotropia, exotropia, hypertropia or hypotropia and for you to know that before you start the pursuit eye movements, which is the smooth movement. This is being able to smoothly move your eyes from horizontal left to right or up and down pursuits is one of those visual tracking skills that’s really important for reading. The other one is called Cicade movements and this is the jumping from one. Position to another like like focusing from near to far focusing from the left side to the right side. So when you’re testing you can test both the pursuits and the saccades and one of the things you’re looking for is is the child able to move the eye muscles smoothly or is there jerkiness in the movement or are they having to move their head and or their body to move their eyes? I’ve done so many, you know, kindergarten eye screenings where we we test the saccades and the pursuits and we go. Wow, they’ve got to move their head to move the tiny eye muscles. So can you imagine trying to teach them how to read? It’s going to be really stressful for them because they don’t have accurate eye movements at this point. And then we talk about something called convergence. This is what you’re working with right now with the Brock string. Basically, it’s three beads on the string and the first bead is about 12 inches from your face and the child is holding the string on the tip of their nose. Sam Berne (17:24.105) in the middle of the eye level and we spread the beads out equally 12 inches 24 inches 36 inches and we have them look at each bead and they should see an X at whatever bead they’re looking at. This is a skill called convergence. Convergence is a very important skill at aiming the eyes, especially when you read. When you watch the child’s eyes to see if both eyes are tracking the target or you can actually start to see one of the eyes moving out and you can ask them is this a double vision? Do you see two? We call this near point of convergence where how closely can you move the target where they’re able to keep converging and hopefully they’re able to converge. well within the range of where they’re holding their their books when they read because if the convergence breaks down right at their reading, then they’re going to get the diagnosis convergence insufficiency. And then we’ve got divergence, which is more like the magic eye you’re doing like the jelly beans where the eyes are looking parallel. And in this particular way, this is more of a distance type coordination pattern. So divergence is more distance and convergence is more near and you want to be able to again watch the clients child’s eyes as you’re moving the target towards their nose and away from their nose and you can start to see. Okay, what is their convergence divergence abilities build a house you start by building the basement and you build the you know, the foundation and the basement and the foundation would be the primitive reflex. It would be working with their balance. It’d be working with their gross motor coordination. Sam Berne (19:18.741) You probably wouldn’t want to introduce the convergence divergence or tracking exercises. That metaphor would be like the bedrooms upstairs. So absolutely because they don’t have them. They don’t have the gross motor connections. They’re in a developmental delay. So you couldn’t really introduce the, you know, ocular motor exercises like this divergence convergence until their primitive reflexes their balance the bilateral coordination skills are foundationally more solid. It’s absolutely that’s why there’s a certain sequence in when you introduce these certain activities. This is a mistake that most behavioral optometry and vision therapy practices make. I’m sorry to say this, but I see the mistakes. I’ll have people come to see me. I say I’ve worked in vision therapy for two years and I have not seen any improvement. And within four to six sessions of working with me in this particular method, the child’s reading they’re playing sports their problem is solved. So one of the issues is that the the vision therapy exercises they start too high up in the motor development and the child is not ready. So they learn a splinter skill, you know, they can cross their eyes or move their eyes, but they’re not really working with, you know, fixing the developmental delay which started way back more in the preverbal period. So you are right and not introducing convergence divergence until you think they can have some success at it. You need to stay more with the basic things and actually you’ll get a lot more benefits by doing that than trying to force them into Sam Berne (21:24.971) doing some things before they’re ready. So in the divergence going back to that, there’s something called, you know, blur break and recovery. So when there’s a target and you bring it in you ask him go, where do you see double and hopefully they see it like three to four inches from their face. Some kids will say, I see double at 12 inches or 14 inches. Well, that’s a red flag right there because they’re probably in double vision when they’re reading or writing. So you need to note that. The other thing is the recovery of the double vision because you want them to be able to recover from the double vision pretty quickly with a lot of kids. Their recovery is very low. In other words, you have to push away or push away away from them. or pull it way away from them before the two goes back to single and what that tells you is they’re depleted. They don’t have enough in their energy reserves to be able to turn the two into single and this is where then you can start doing some muscle testing educational kinesiology, which will come later and maybe testing the child where they need either change in their diet or supplements. And again, in one of the clinics I work with the occupational therapist does educational kinesiology to find out what are the targeted supplements that will give that child more energy. So their recovery is better. Their developmental growth is going to be faster because they have more energy on the cellular level to make the changes that we’re asking them to make. Now, another thing we like to look at is something called near far fixations. This would be like sitting at your desk, looking at the board and being able to copy what you see at the board. Now, the way we simulate that is through a small printed heart chart, which is at 12 inches and a large printed heart chart. Sam Berne (23:34.293) which is say three to six feet away. And so the exercise is done where they look at one letter on the small printed chart up close and then one letter. at the distance chart and they’d be able to go back and forth with it. When they get good at it, you can bounce a ball and do it. You can even do it with the eye patch. But this near far fixation exercise is really great for getting them to improve their copying. Now, just as an aside, and I didn’t write this in one of the primitive reflexes that most effects The near far fixation is the symmetrical tonic neck reflex and we’ve done studies where we kids have difficulty copying. So instead of doing the near far fixation exercise, we do the symmetrical tonic neck reflex and that reflex. Allows the brain to move more into the frontal part of the brain. And so the near far fixations automatically get better without having to do any exercises in the near far fixations. That’s how potent the primitive reflexes are and being able to change the visual skills and In this near far fixation procedure, we’re asking the child to shift their focus from the near chart to the far chart. And sometimes you can add a metronome. Sometimes you can put them on one of those Boza balls or a trampoline or so you can bring in a vestibular component to it while they have to jump their eyes back and forth. It’s a form of what we call saccades. Cicades. Remember we talked about eye movements that are jumping from one Sam Berne (25:22.381) Position to another and as the child gets older the saccadic movement is more important for them, especially sports processing information faster being able to you know motor in the world faster making decisions better. So that’s a catech near far fixation probably would be great for like a normal 12 13 14 15 year old, you know for the young ones like 5 six, we probably wouldn’t do a lot of near far fixations except maybe the Marsden ball, which is the swinging ball and they’re just hitting it and they’re tracking it. That would be a gentle way to start the near far fixations. But once you get into the heart charts, that’s where they’re already in a language based situation. And so they’re ready for that. Sam Berne (26:18.217) Okay, suppression and I know you know about suppression because when you were here and you got tested what what suppression does is it test the person to see whether or not either they’ve got number one double vision because there’s a misalignment of the eyes or instead of double vision the brain says, I’m just going to shut off the weaker. I it’s going to go dark. and then the right eye has to do all the work. So in the bottom of the slide is something that I know you’re very aware of and that is the red green charts and the red green glass for sure because in the special needs world, if you go to a conventional doctor, they’re just going to say, well, you’ve got this condition live with it and there’s no there’s no help whatsoever. There’s no understanding that the person has some level of neuroplasticity to learn and know, even in this suppression, if we go to the next slide where you have the child wear the red green glasses and just look around the room. Just the awareness of then being able to see the different colors, the red, the green. This is a really great way to start. But what I like to do is just to put the red green glasses on and just see what their response is. Number of kids will say, I just see the red or I just see the green and that tells me right away that there’s probably a very good deal of suppression and as they progress. Sam Berne (28:02.197) In fact, you could try this to wear the red green glasses while you’re doing the Brock string. It’s a very interesting thing when you are doing the Brock string and you’ve got a red string and a green string. What’s more dominant? Does the green string shut off? Sometimes it’s a way we do add-ons where we add like the red green glasses to the exercise and it kind of gives them more information on this binocular vision. Another way that you can do this the red greens is by using heart charts with strips. vertically alternating red and green and red and green and again, they’re at that Harmon distance, which is about 12 to 14 inches and you ask them to read across the row and I know you’ve done that because we’ve done it with you and it’s a really great I think even we did with your kids and so this is another great way, especially when they get into reading and language. Can they have that alternating situation? And then we move to something called visual midline. I was working with this today with a client and the purpose of this is to see if the child is actually. Balanced between the right eye and their left eye because in a lot of cases if a child is right-handed. On a visual midline, if we think of that as our steering wheel, our GPS system, a lot of times the steering wheel will start sliding more towards the left. Sam Berne (29:42.281) left eye would meaning that the right eye is now coming over and it’s it’s now taking over where the left eye is. So it’s pushing the left eye out of the way. So the way you do this is this is a screening where they can either track visually track a target and you bring it into their midline. You can have them touch it and where they report now. That’s going to tell you where their visual midline or visual midline shift is. Now, there’s a vertical right to left where you’re standing on the right side of the child’s peripheral vision and you hold the pencil or the pen oriented vertically and move the target slowly through the midline from the child’s right side towards the left side and ask the child to say now when the target is in front of their nose. So a lot of times they will miscalculate you’ll see it as my goodness the pencils way over on their left side, but they’ll interpret it as yeah, the pencils in the middle of my face. Well, it’s actually not so the The vertical right to left is good to do the vertical left to right is good to do where you stand on their left side and you move that vertical pencil from left to right to where they think it’s a in front of their nose. can also do horizontal vertical. Sam Berne (31:21.993) So sometimes what we have found is that when a person is looking their horizon line. when you look out at the horizon, okay, a lot of times kids will think that the horizon is lower than it really is. This happens a lot like in Down syndrome. That’s where I mostly see it. And when that happens, there are always their visual spatial world is actually pushed downward. And so I’ll give them a prism that lifts their vision up and there have been life changes when they they start to have that horizon line match where the true horizon is and at a later session. We’ll talk about prisms and and those kinds of things. But for now. The midline whether it’s horizontal or vertical is something that you could start to play around with and cognitive ability and you know on the testing side of it is you certainly could try it and if you’re not getting an accurate response, then you just say this. This isn’t the right test to do now, but with some of your kids. something called the vestibular ocular reflex VOR and the VOR is a test to see how much is the vestibular system meaning the inner ears helping a person with their balance. So we’ve got two sensory systems that help us with balance really three we have the eyes. For balance. have the ears for balance and we have the feet for balance. It’s like a triangle and what happens with most people is that if they have an under sensitivity of the vestibular system, meaning the ears are not helping the eyes in balancing. Sam Berne (33:33.301) The subjective behaviors that you will see the child may be clumsy bumping into things. If there’s an oversensitivity in the reflex the child might get dizzy easily or report motion sickness. So an under acting vestibular system is bumping into things and over reacting vestibular system is getting dizzy or seasickness. So in terms of testing the vor because that will give you an indicator on whether the the ears and the eyes are balanced or one system is overworking the other. So you have the child sitting in a comfortable. They’re in a comfortable standing position and you’re in front of them. And what you do is you hold up a target vertically at midline in front of the child and you instruct the child to focus both eyes on the target and slowly turn the head to one side as far so they’re turning their head while they’re tracking the target and they go as far as they can with their head on one side and on the other side and you have them do that total of 10 times five on each side. So you count one one two two. all the time. They’re maintaining the focus on the target. And so you do this five on each side and then you can also do it vertically. Okay, up and down same thing where they’re moving their head up moving their head down five five in each each direction. So now once once you do that. What you’re looking for is a movement called nystagmus. That’s where the eyes oscillate back and forth. And if you see no oscillation, okay, no oscillation or the oscillation is less than five seconds, then they have an under acting vestibular system. Okay. Sam Berne (35:49.425) If that oscillation goes beyond 10 seconds, then they have an overacting vestibular system. So somewhere between the five and 10 seconds, that’s a normal response. Like you should see a little bit of ocular nystagmus for five to 10 seconds. That’s normal. So at that point and in most cases, most cases The vestibular system is under acting. So you need to do some vestibular stimulating things. We’ll get into this in a later session, but it could be something as simple where you’re you’re having them swing. They’re swinging. They’re rolling. Sometimes we’ll do jumping like on a rebounder. Sometimes we’ll roll them on a physio ball. So we get a big physio ball and we’ll roll them. We’ll use a Boza ball and they can either sit on it or stand on it. So in other words, what we start doing in the therapy is we bring in vestibular stimulating things while they have to do visual focusing things. So it teaches them to bring in the ears to the eyes with the feet. That’s the proprioception. And it’s a very important connection, especially when a child learns to read. Because in reading when they’re tracking there is a little bit of vestibular connection. There is a little bit of proprioceptive connection and it’s also very tied in to the moro reflex. So if somebody has not integrated the moro reflex a lot of times their vor the vestibular ocular reflex will show a very underacting vestibular system and this can be related to birth trauma. So either Sam Berne (37:47.279) serine section forceps suction or just you know, the cord is wrapped around the neck. There’s some birth trauma that’s happened. It’s triggered the more reflex which they can’t get out of and this starts to shut down the vestibular system because they’re getting overwhelmed in this fight or flight freeze response. It’s a trauma response. So they have to start shutting down their sensory systems and it’s very easy for them to shut down their deceptive and their inner ears. And so then the visual is overworking and this creates situations where then they might need some glasses like they need a prescription because their eyes get so fatigued from over focusing so they might become farsighted. may become nearsighted. So that’s the kind of the the progression of why kids start to need glasses, especially early on or another reason why they start developing developing an I turn crossing in or crossing out. So again, the way I’m teaching this is you’re noting these signals and symptoms and putting it together in the history, but you’re trying to treat the cause and not the symptoms and what I doctors do is they want to fix the symptoms. Well, guess what you fix the symptom and you drive the cause further in this is why when you start doing the physical therapy and you treat the cause the symptom goes away and it never comes back. but it also creates a better processing of information and learning and it’s just a very exciting transformation. So I’ll have more to say about the vor but this is basically just getting, know, your feet wet with it. Then the last thing I want to talk about today is something called the Harmon distance. So Sam Berne (39:46.507) Back in I would say the the 40s 1940s 1950s. There was a a scientist his name was Darrell Boyd Harmon and he was working with some of the more well-respected developmental optometrists about posture and working distance. and Harmon did a series of studies. I believe in Ohio State where they took a look at what is the optimal distance you should be holding your books. Now your tablets when you read and what kind of angle should it be at? So how far away should it be from your face? And what’s the angle and what he found in this diagram shows it is that if you are propping up the reading material at about 22 degrees in a slant board, what that does is it creates a 90 degree angle in a way where the child or the adult has the optimum potential to learn and read better. And so this 22 degree incline, it could be just propping their, you know, their tablet up on a some books so that they’re at a 22 degree angle. Approximately what this does is this is going to take the stress off their posture and allow them to learn better. Now, there’s a little picture up here, which is a picture of this arm. Okay, there’s a fist. There’s an arm and it’s like an L and what Harmon proposed is you take that fist and you put it under the chin and that measurement from the end of the the knuckle to the elbow, which is now under the chin. Sam Berne (41:42.693) Is your specific Harman distance measurement. So for example, a four-year-old has a Harman distance that might be 10 inches because they have a smaller forearm. You could take a 22 year old person. Their Harman distance is going to be farther away. And that’s based on how long the knuckle to the elbow is and it’s placed under the chin and then you kind of look at okay, that’s my Harman distance. One of the problems that happens with kids and you’ve probably observed this is you give them something to read and you watch where they habitually like to hold it and when kids hold their reading material closer than the Harman distance. You can bet there’s going to be a vision problem. Again, vision is tracking focusing visual coordination. It’s the brain. Eye brain body connection. It’s not eyesight. It’s vision. When they bring that in closer than the Harmon distance, that is a great screening device. That’s going to tell you right away. they have a vision problem focusing problem coordination problem. And so you want to instruct them. to have that 22 degree angle and get into the Harmon distance. And this is something I tell every parent that they have to do this. Okay. Now sometimes they might need some low plus learning lenses to help them stay at that Harmon distance or if they’re wearing a distance prescription, we might have to reduce the prescription or increase the prescription to allow them to have the clarity that they need at the Harmon distance. But With all your clients, you should be talking to them about the importance of the Harmon distance. You could actually Google Harmon distance, Darrell Boyd Harmon, and you get a whole page of different things that Harmon did about as a pioneer to create this this idea and it’s you know, even today because we’re talking it’s you know, almost 80 years 90 years. Sam Berne (43:58.365) It still really holds water and I still see it. I still work with the Harmon distance today and especially with electronics phones tablets computers. The Harmon distance is more important than ever. So focusing closer than your Harmon distance, I guarantee you in six months, you’re going to become near sighted because you’re in a visually constricted spatial situation and it’s the worst thing the kids can do. They start pulling it in because they think, you know, if I pull it in, I’m stressed. I can learn better. I can focus better. But what it’s doing is it’s tensing the eye muscles and it creates that visual confinement which creates myopia. And so and then you got the kids that are farsighted and they’re pushing the world away and you know, that’s a whole other thing. So functional vision screening. You know, I wish more school nurses and different institutions included functional vision in their eyesight screenings because most eyesight screenings only measure the optics of the eye at distance. And this is an uphill, you know, battle because very few professionals even think about vision, which is the brain. Okay. Well, that’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in until next time. Take care.…
To contact our guest directly, go to: www.earthwalks.org or e-mail Doug: earthwalks1@yahoo.com Keywords Earthwalks, Geomancy, Ecotourism, Indigenous Cultures, Chaco Canyon, Land Acknowledgment, Nature Connection, Community Engagement, Spiritual Wisdom, Environmental Education Summary In this engaging conversation, Doug Conwell, founder of Earthwalks, shares his journey to Santa Fe, his connection to the earth, and the principles of geomancy. He discusses the importance of ecotourism, the mysteries of Chaco Canyon, and the significance of land acknowledgment in addressing social injustices. Doug also highlights upcoming workshops and the essence of giving back to the community through service and respect for indigenous cultures. Takeaways Doug Conwell emphasizes the importance of connecting with the earth. Geomancy involves understanding earth energies and their impact on our lives. Ecotourism should focus on reciprocal relationships with nature and communities. Chaco Canyon is a site of astronomical significance and ancient wisdom. Land acknowledgment is crucial for recognizing historical injustices. Listening to nature can enhance our awareness and connection to the environment. Service projects are a way to give back to indigenous communities. Earthwalks promotes a journey of personal and communal growth. Understanding indigenous education can inform modern environmental education. The essence of Earthwalks is about our life’s journey and connection to the earth. Sound Bites “You have to desire.” “Thank you for coming.” “There is a star map.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Earthwalks and Community Engagement 03:01 The Journey to Santa Fe and Connection to the Earth 05:50 Understanding Geomancy and Earth Energies 09:01 The Principles of Ecotourism and Respect for Nature 11:54 Exploring Chaco Canyon and Its Mysteries 15:02 Land Acknowledgment and Social Justice 17:49 Upcoming Workshops and Closing Thoughts Sam Berne (00:00.248) Hey everyone, welcome to the podcast today. So we have a very special guest, my good friend, Doug Conwell. And Doug does amazing things here in the community. He’s also founder of Earthwalks, which he will talk about. So Doug, I would love for you to introduce yourself, tell us who you are, and we want to know about you. Thank you, Sam. Thanks for inviting me to be here. I really appreciate that. And I really want to give thanks to the Tehuah people and Carah’s people on whose land that we are living and where we’re working right now, which is called Santa Fe, New Mexico now. And I want to read the acknowledgement that I make on my website for that. Acknowledging the deep connections of indigenous peoples to the land and their significant contributions of past, present, and future. In acknowledging these connections, we express our gratitude for the opportunity to live, work, and learn on this land. And I have to say that Earthwalks is committed to helping reconcile the injustices, restoring voices, and realizing the well-being of all members of our community, and especially those whose land this really was, the first peoples who were here. So yes. Where do we go from here? Well, tell us a little bit about how you came to Santa Fe, where you came from and what inspired you to move here. Well, guess I was it was almost 50 years ago. It’s hard to believe, but in 1979, I kind of heard a calling. I was living in Colorado, my home state, Sam, and I was feeling disconnection from the earth, from myself. I didn’t feel like I had any real connection to my own family or history. And I used to live on the border in El Paso when I would come through Santa Fe and back and forth from Colorado and always loved this area, this part of the world, New Mexico. And I thought, well, I’m going to try this out. I’m going to, I’m going to live in Santa Fe and see. I was hearing in my head and also reading and finding out more about indigenous traditional cultures and their spiritual wisdom. Sam Berne (02:27.6) and how they are connected so much to the land, to the earth, to the ecology, and how that’s a part of the essential part of our well-being. So I wanted to know more about that if I could, and that was my main reason initially for moving here. And I know we’ve talked about this a lot, but the subject of geomancy. How did you get into that? And that’s kind of a precursor before your Earthwalks. I would think so, yeah. Well, along the way, I learned something about… globally in cultures around the world called geomancy which deals with earth energies and has to do with how do you listen? How do you understand what those energies are that we are all a part of and how does that kind of inform you in terms of who you are and your own individual personality and maybe goals and values but it’s values that are in sync with in harmony with earth energies. there’s a whole field of geomancy that includes ley lines and divining with earth energies and labyrinths and standing stones in Europe and other places. But they have their relationship too, I found, in native cultures in this country very much so. And then I discovered, my goodness, my own Celtic background. I am Scottish and Irish and guess what? Those similar traditions and you might say it’s a Earth science and it’s a science of the soul really exists in my own culture as well as in Native America. So I started learning more about that and then as I learned more I started offering some group gatherings and sharing what I was learning. I ultimately ended up teaching out at Ghost Ranch New Mexico which is a retreat center northwest of Santa Fe out in the Georgia O’Keeffe area for quite a few years and part of that Sam Berne (04:30.848) teaching had to do with geomancy itself. One of the things we’ve talked about and I’ve experienced it and you know when I on your Earthwalks is listening, feeling and seeing the Earth energies. could you elaborate? I know one of the quotes you have is you have to desire. You said that to me. So people want to know about that. What’s all that about? Yeah, I guess that would be probably the most important first step. know, you you. You think that, this is possible. So maybe I want to understand, I want to experience. And I think a lot of us, most of us probably have. Maybe it was more when we were children, younger, playing outside or even in the parking lot, wherever it might be, that we were, you know, looking at things more closely as little kids, right? We were looking at the earth, you know, the small things that were maybe the bugs, the insects, maybe it was how the sand was blowing across our yard or wherever we were, if we were in an urban environment or a rural environment. So, yeah, that’s the first step is kind of in a way Sam Berne (05:50.017) being open to that fresh way of looking at things with innocence like you did when you were a child most likely. So it’s being aware, having that consciousness. And then I remember one class I was teaching in Albuquerque and you know, in the middle of a city and we had a break for lunch and I gave them an assignment which was to wherever they were to go for lunch was to find some aspect of nature that was calling them that they could absorb. of whether it was popping out of the asphalt or where it was. And yes, you can find that no matter where you are. You don’t have to be in pristine environment like Chaco Canyon, where you and I have been before several times. Yeah, I think that listening, looking, you know, that inner that inner sense of knowing is an essential part of it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And, know, I know in my own case, we’ve talked about this. My power spot is Hawaii. And I’ve led a lot of retreats there. And of course, the energies there are very different in some ways than New Mexico. But it is that listening, feeling and seeing and all the elements coming together. And I love how you orchestrate that on your workshops here. So which brings me to the next question. Can you talk about ecotourism? Absolutely. In fact, not only talk about I’d like to read something from Dr. Greg Kehete, who is a Pueblo, a Native American Pueblo from the southwest here in the Santa Fe area scholar. And this is what he says about related to ecotourism. Traditional systems of Indian education represent ways of learning and doing through a nature-centered philosophy. This gets back to geomancy. They are among the oldest continuing expressions of quote, environmental education in the world. Taken as a whole, they represent an environmental education process with profound meaning for modern education as it faces the challenges of living in the 21st century. So he has a book, Sam Berne (08:05.771) which is called Look to the Mountain, an ecology of indigenous education that I would really recommend to your viewers, Sam. But related to that are principles of ecotourism. I think more important now than at any time in our life. But a lot of people, I think, approach tours and tourism as something that you extract. you go somewhere and you’re going to get something as opposed to giving something. And ecotourism really is a reciprocal relationship between you and the place and the people that you are visiting. But there are some basic principles Sam that I think are real important to talk about. One is if you’re going to be, you know, visiting somewhere, try and minimize your impact. And that has a lot to do with environmental impact, but also your presence, how big of a presence do you want to make as a tourist, as a visitor, and then building environmental and cultural awareness and respect. So what does that mean? Well, it means you’re not just going to take pictures and then run away and then put that on your Instagram and share it with everybody else. You’re going to spend time listening like we were talking about with Geomancy, listening to people and really respecting the traditions and the people who you’re visiting and the place that you’re visiting. So that provides positive experiences for not only you, but the people who are you are visiting. In fact, with Earthwalks, what we’ve experienced lots of times the indigenous folks who are really our leaders have said thank you for coming. Sam Berne (09:50.091) because we were listening to them. We were participating in whether it was arts and crafts or whether it was a sweat lodge or whatever it might have been. But we were there to learn, to respect, and to really gain an understanding that we could give back in some way, whatever that might mean. That might mean direct financial contributions if you’re visiting an area that is in need of that. It’s just basically raising your own sensitivity to the issues that are there before you go. One thing I wanted to say Sam is that if any of your viewers want me to send them a list of my bibliography that includes videos and websites and books that relate to everything we’re talking about, just get in touch. I’ll send that out to you as right away. So we’re here with Doug Conwell. He’s founder of Earthwalks and just a wonderful person who loves New Mexico and has a very deep connection with the indigenous cultures here and So I guess my curiosity is what should people know about Chaco Canyon? Wow, that’s such an amazing place, isn’t it? It is. Wow. Well, Chaco is from Santa Fe. It’s about four and a half hours away from here by car. But it’s located in a really wide open empty space. In a lot of ways, people would say empty. Like why here? This huge World Heritage site with enormous ancient buildings that were in astronomical alignment, sun, stars, moon, it’s a pretty amazing place where you visit and we say, why there? And there are questions about that. Why? Because there’s not any water that really runs, that sustains the people. But there’s something there that really called the people and they created this huge center which reached out to the vast Sam Berne (11:54.625) region with straight roads that they built up and down the cliffs and there was trading with South America going on and there’s no real, I’ve heard anyway, real reason for establishing this huge community and then these network of outlying communities. So we may not know about that. I sort of think in my own mind that there is a star map. You’re the star man, Sam. He’s an amazing astronomer, folks. You ought to be with him in Chaco Canyon when he pulls out these gigantic telescopes and then takes us to the stars. Well, I think the Chaco people did that. know, without the aid of a telescope, somehow they went out there because they aligned their buildings, amazing sites, with such precision, mathematical and astronomical and mathematical precision, But beyond that, I’ve always found Chaco to have a certain powerful beneficial energy. Now I know there’s a history that may not be so benevolent in Chaco’s history like there is in every culture around the world, but overall that’s been my experience, a real healing environment. Talk about land acknowledgement. Well, I said something about that earlier on, but I think why it’s so important maybe is what you’re asking. it so important? Even in major cities, large cities, let’s take New York City as an example, where I just was this last summer. people may not have the history and understanding of who were the first peoples on this land, what the history of that place was. And of course, we look at the social injustices that have occurred in our country, colonialism, settler mentality, the westward expansion, the coming of the railroad. This was after the Spanish invasion, colonial invasion in our part of the world Sam Berne (14:12.047) here and what happened to people who were living on the land for centuries peacefully. I mean, they had their own personal conflicts, but they were basically peacefully here. In the Pueblo world, it was farming, more than any kind of nomadic relationship. But those lands were invaded, taken over, and people pushed back and oftentimes mistreated, starved, whatever it might be. And here we sit on those lands now, and most of us without an awareness of the history of that social injustice and colonialism. I think it’s important wherever you are to be able to have that awareness, not to just feel guilty about it all. or anger or resentment, but to say, yes, this is the way it was, and I am here as a result of that, and how can I give back? Here’s a good way that we can do it here. They’ve done it in Oakland. It’s a pretty urban area, Oakland. The indigenous people of Oakland reached out to the community and said, you’re living on native land, Oakland. We would like you to voluntarily, if you would, consider don’t donating, based on maybe the value of the land that you’re on right now, certain amount of money, and we’re going to build an indigenous center for our community, which includes social services and medical services and clinics and that kind of thing. They did it. People voluntarily from their hearts donated and said, I am here because of you. And there’s an effort in Santa Fe to do the very same thing. So that’s just one way to give back. And be aware. Well, we’re coming down to the end of our show today. how can people get in touch with you where they can see your offerings this year? can share about what you’re going to be doing if you want to in terms of workshops and so give us your contact info, your website and maybe what you’re doing this year. Sure. Well, thank you, Sam. Well, the best way to reach me is through earth walks dot org earth walks dot org and you’ll find a way to contact me. Sam Berne (16:26.747) find a real archive of all the things that we’ve been doing over the years with pictures and description and people’s reactions to them and then that way if you want more information I can certainly you know provide that. This year we’re planning to go to Canyon de Chey in the latter part of May. Canyon de Chey is this beautiful amazing deep canyon in the middle of Diné or Navajo country which is across the border between of New Mexico and Arizona. We’ll be there about for three or four days, participating in Sweat Lodge right on the edge of the canyon, and doing service work. This is an element of Earthwalks I didn’t mention, but it’s important to know that one of the ways we give back as participants is to do service projects helping people. In Canyon de Chey in the past, we’ve been out there in the field pulling weeds, whatever it might be, feeding the sheep with the weeds, that kind of a thing and then sharing a meal together whatever it might be with folks from that area. Excellent. And then how about your Chaco trip? Chaco will be in the fall. I don’t have a date for that. But Chaco Canyon in the fall, that is a camping trip. The Canyon de Shea one is a lodging, indoor lodging based but that’s the difference between the two. But yeah, and there is walking involved, but Earthwalks, the name refers to our own life’s journey, our Earthwalk in this life. Well, I will make sure to put all the contact information on the podcast notes, and we’re going to end the show with Doug playing a little bit of flute. And thank you so much for sharing today and. more fun. Thank you Sam. Looking forward to more of the Starman in our lives here too. Stay tuned. This is a Native American flute that a friend of mine gave me many years ago. Sam Berne (18:31.017) offering this our blessings and thanks and gratitude to all the directions.…
To join our membership, go to: https://drsambernesmembership.com/ To enroll in our practitioner’s training go go: https://www.drsamberne.com/practitioners-training/ Keywords functional anatomy, vision therapy, eye health, structural anatomy, color therapy, optic nerve, retina, eye muscles, visual pathways, accommodation Summary This conversation delves into the intricacies of functional anatomy, particularly focusing on the eye. Sam Berne emphasizes the importance of understanding both structural and functional aspects of anatomy to enhance vision therapy practices. The discussion covers various components of the eye, including the cornea, iris, lens, retina, and optic nerve, while also exploring the impact of color therapy and the role of eye muscles. Berne highlights the significance of dynamic processes in vision, such as accommodation and tracking, and addresses common issues like eye floaters and strabismus. The conversation concludes with a powerful message about the interconnection between function and structure in the eye, advocating for a holistic approach to vision therapy. Takeaways Understanding functional anatomy is crucial for vision therapy. The eye’s anatomy includes both structural and functional components. Color therapy can rejuvenate the retina and improve vision. Stress and toxicity can significantly impact visual health. The optic nerve is essential for transmitting visual information to the brain. Accommodation is a dynamic process that can be improved through therapy. Eye floaters are often a result of fluid stagnation in the eye. Tracking exercises can enhance reading and writing skills in children. Vision therapy can address issues like strabismus without surgery. Function can influence structure, leading to improvements in eye health. Titles Unlocking the Secrets of Functional Anatomy The Dynamic Nature of Vision Exploring the Eye: Anatomy and Function Color Therapy: A New Approach to Vision Sound Bites “Vision is dynamic, not static.” “Functional anatomy opens the door for vision therapy.” “Color therapy can help the retina get stronger.” “Stress affects the eyes significantly.” “The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain.” “Accommodation is a dynamic process.” “Eye floaters are a common concern.” “Tracking exercises improve reading and writing.” “Function can change structure in the eye.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Functional Anatomy 03:05 Understanding Structural vs. Functional Anatomy 05:48 The Eye’s Anatomy: Cornea, Iris, and Sclera 09:04 The Lens and Its Role in Vision 12:04 The Retina: Function and Importance 15:02 Color Therapy and Its Impact on Vision 17:48 The Optic Nerve and Visual Pathways 20:57 Accommodation and Focusing Mechanisms 24:02 The Vitreous Body and Eye Health 26:58 Eye Muscles and Their Functions 29:48 Tracking and Eye Movement Exercises 33:06 Primitive Reflexes and Vision Therapy 36:04 The Role of Cranial Nerves in Eye Function 38:56 Strabismus and Vision Therapy Solutions 41:51 Conclusion: The Interconnection of Eye Function and Therapy Sam Berne (00:00.098) Hey everybody. Welcome to the podcast. So today I’m going to bring you into a lecture I gave on functional anatomy and this is something we use in our practitioner training. So I thought I would include part of it in the podcast. So I hope you enjoy the show. Here we go. Why do we want to learn anatomy? Well, if you’re going to be an expert in vision knowing the foundations of the major structures of the eye is very important. And one of the things I want to make a distinction about is structural anatomy. That means knowing the terms, you know, like this is the arm. This is the leg and you know, you can get into the more technical things that’s called structural anatomy, but that is static and that’s physical. What I have found is that when you look at the function of the eye, like how does it work? then that is a what we call dynamic aspect and vision is dynamic. It’s not static. And when you just focus on the structural aspects of anatomy and in this case the eyes, the only thing that you can offer is surgery needles and drugs. and that the eye is separate from the body. But in functional anatomy, what we know is that our eyes dynamically produce vision and adapt to environmental demands. And in functional anatomy, we emphasize how vision integrates with the brain, the vestibular system, and our body systems. Sam Berne (01:46.314) So understanding those roles, like when you work with kids, visual tracking, visual focus, visual coordination, visual perception, cognitive abilities, some of the gross motor skills like primitive reflexes or balance orientation, the functional aspects of vision and functional aspects of Anatomy opens the door for you to say, okay, I’m doing vision therapy today. I can offer you some nutritional counseling. I can take a look at the colored part of your eye, the iris, and I can tell certain constitutional things like certain foods you might want to eat or certain lifestyle things you want to do craniosacral therapy color therapy. So the functional anatomy is really an important part of this. our objectives today is I’m going to introduce just the basic and anatomy of the eye but looking at it from a more functional point of view and we start from the outside and work our way inside. So the outside eyelids the white part of the eye called the sclera, the cornea, which is the clear window. The iris, is the colored part of the eye, the pupil, is our gatekeeper allowing light into the eyes, our lens and our focusing system. And then the retina photoreceptors, the optic nerve. And then we’re going to just briefly touch on the liquid part of the eye, the aqueous, the front part of the eye and the back part, the vitreous, the eye muscles and their eye movements and how that affects conditions like lazy eye or crossed eyes. And then finally the integration of visual pathways in the brain. Sam Berne (03:42.89) So we’re going to start off with the cornea and the iris. So the cornea is the clear window that we look out and people can look in. And on the left side here of the slide, this is the white part of the eye. It’s called the sclera and you can see these blood vessels and in the future. I’m going to teach you how these blood vessels affect our health. There’s a whole body of study called sclerology where we look at the white part of the eye and we can actually tell what’s the health of the liver. What’s the health of the gallbladder? Do we have Candida? We can actually look at this white part of the eye and we can tell if a person has got systemic or metabolic imbalances. But for today, we just say that the white part of the eye is the sclera. We obviously have the eyelids which help us produce the tears that cover the cornea and the eyelids are very important around producing the tears that keep our eyes moist. So it’s very common for people to have inflammation in the eyelids and this causes all kinds of problems with dryness and eye pain and that affects the cornea, is the transparent of the eye. So just to repeat the white part of the eye is the sclera, the eyelids house the glands and the cornea is the clear window of the eye with a lot of nerve endings and you need to keep that cornea covered with tears and that’s what the eyelids produce. Sam Berne (05:34.54) And then if we go back a little bit, we see the colored part of the eye and there three main colors. There’s the blue eyes. There’s the mixed color, which like their hazel and then there’s the deep brown color. And the color of the the color of the eyes shows us a couple things genetic tendencies like things that have been passed down from your mom and dad your grandma and your granddad, you know conditions like perhaps diabetes or heart disease or connective tissue issues or liver problems. So we can see patterns in the color part of the eye that you know, we can say ask the question. Well, did your mom and dad or grandma and granddad, anybody have diabetes and For example, if we identify a pattern there, we can we can counsel the person and say, you know, it’s probably better that you don’t have high glycemic index sugar foods because if you do you’re going to have a tendency toward diabetes. And of course, we know sugar for the eyes is deadly. It causes a lot of eye problems. So we can look at the colored part of the eye and we can determine. Okay, what is the systemic health? What’s the glandular health? Sam Berne (06:55.702) What’s the digestive and metabolic health? So in a later module, we’ll talk a little more about the specifics. This is just an overview today. So sclera white part eyelids cornea colored part of the eye is the iris and then finally the pupil and the pupil tells us the state of our nervous system. So for example, when our pupils are always dilated even in dim light because the pupil should get smaller when we go into bright light, but it should dilate when we go into dim light. But if it’s always dilated that suggests that the person is under a lot of visual stress and their peripheral vision is very tunneled. It’s just a very simple thing. And in our next lecture when we meet I’m going to give you a functional vision screening. process and it’s a very detailed way to analyze the eyes. looking at the pupils, looking at the eye alignment, looking at tracking. It’s going to be perfect for you. We’ve used it at Kid Power in Albuquerque with the occupational therapists for years. It’s basically called a functional vision screening. And I know you already have a screening that you’re doing, but this will just be a great add-on for you to really give you a very specific analysis on what is happening in terms of the visual system and part of that is the pupil health and when a person’s pupils are really dilated all the time that suggests that they’re under a lot of stress and we can take note of that. That’s why it’s a question I asked quite a bit. Are you light sensitive? As an example. Sam Berne (08:53.868) All right, so as we move back in the eye, the next thing we look at is you can see here, this is a person that has a cataract and this is called the lens of the eye. Now, basically what the lens is is it’s the part of the eye that allows light to come through it that bends eventually to the retina. And again, when you work with your kiddies, what happens is is that the lens of the eye, the muscles that attached to the lens are not working properly and that that process is called accommodation. And we have conditions like accommodation excess too much focusing spasm in the muscles or accommodative insufficiency where a person can’t move the muscles very well. So like shifting from near to far back to near is difficult. So this is where vision therapy working on improving the muscular flexibility of the lens is very helpful in improving the the brain processing. the reading, the learning, the copying from the board. So this is the functional aspect of the lens. Most eye doctors just look at the structure of the lens. Oh, you’ve got a cataract. Let’s cut it out. But what we’re talking about is how does that lens work and how do those muscles make the lens bend in a way so that a person can shift their focus from near to far? When the light is focusing on the the through the lens, it actually focuses on the retina and the retina is the back part of the eye. It’s actually made of brain tissue. So every part of the eye is brain. Basically, what happens is is when Sam Berne (10:44.15) The light strikes the retina changes it into an electrical impulse and then it converts it and it moves it back to the brain. This is how we see and we have different parts of the retina. have the rods, which is our peripheral vision night vision our cones, which is our specific. fine detail vision and then the macula which this is where the cones are. This is the central part of the retina where we get very sharp central seeing and the fovea is even inside the macula, but it’s all about visual acuity. So the significance of this is that again, when you’re working with people with learning disabilities or you know, visual developmental delays. A lot of times there’s a confusion in the peripheral vision, central vision, and this is where color therapy can work really well at re stimulating different parts of the retina that become desensitized to light and in color therapy. It’s a great tool that can help the retina get stronger. by having a person look at different colors on a daily basis this begins to bring the retina back to life. remember when I was doing a lot of very specific color and light therapy. What we would use to do is we used to measure a person’s peripheral vision and most of the time when they had learning problems, they had very small peripheral vision like it was tunneled vision and we would give them color therapy and over a period of two to three weeks just by doing the color therapy. We would see the peripheral vision open up again. Once the peripheral visions opened up the memory got better. The balance got better. Sam Berne (12:45.378) The depth perception got better just by doing the color therapy the color therapy. I’m referring to we use combinations of colors like red purple in a gel like a mask, which I will make available to you or yellow green combination or a blue green combination or therapy. I’m referring to is very targeted towards waking up the retina that has gone to sleep because of stress or toxicity. The color therapy you just showed me is more subtle and it works more in the area of visual coordination. So it doesn’t encompass the whole thing like the the color therapy. I’m referring to they’re wearing it, you know for say 10 minutes a day and you do it every day and then it becomes a cumulative effect of your two eyes really getting more peripheral engagement. And when your peripheral gets more engagement, so many things change immediately like depth, reception, memory, balance, and so on. Even when the eyes are open, the retina is not working. It’s like the retina is a dead zone. Yeah, it’s not the light is not being absorbed with the eyes open. Yeah, exactly. You would say that’s like how could that be but that’s what stress does. That’s what toxicity does when I measured people’s peripheral vision. We would measure it with the eyes open. They had no awareness on the sides. Everything was like right in here. It was very very tunneled and yet they didn’t have a glasses prescription. I couldn’t give them a glasses prescription to correct the tunneling. I would have to give them color therapy to open it up. That’s how strongly stress affects the eyes. mean, I have had thousands and thousands of patients who have come to see me where their visual deterioration has not been able to be explained going to a regular doctor. Sam Berne (15:02.382) The regular doctor says, oh, it’s all in your head. You know, it’s a mental problem. You’re just making it up. And what we used to see is that in first grade period. So October November, I would see so many kids coming into my office who had this narrow tunneling syndrome. In fact, one of my teachers his name was dr. John Streff s t-r-e-f-f you could Google the Streff syndrome because he he developed it and what the Streff syndrome is is that there’s no medical or physical reason Why are eyes tunnel? There’s no physical disease. There’s no prescription that we can give and he would call that the streft syndrome and became very famous. You can Google it and basically what it is is kids who are under a great deal of stress, but they can’t see but there’s nothing physically wrong. It’s emotional and psychological because their eyes are so overwhelmed that they shut down. Now, this is with their eyes open. It’s not with eyes closed. It’s with the eyes open. So when I teach you color therapy and that bright light color therapy, that’s going to be a great tool for you to be able to work with those kids to get them out of the stress. The streft syndrome we’re going to spend a whole module on the science of color and light therapy and you’re going to you’re going to be very very expert at being able to understand it. It’s one of my most asked questions on social media how to do color therapy because it’s not really, you know taught. Sam Berne (16:58.702) And I’ll go into the history of color therapy and so on and another module, but this is very stimulating. You’re getting stimulated here. Like hmm, this is another tool that you’re going to be able to use. It’s like a vision therapy exercise, but you’re going to be able to use it to turn these kids around another thing. All right. I want to move on because we want to get to the optic nerve. So this little yellow disk here, this is called the optic nerve. And basically again, it’s it’s connecting to the brain. I’m going to send this hand out to you. So you’ll see it and you can see these vessels from the retina going into this nerve and then it goes right back to the brain. So the optic nerve is the kind of the place Where the information goes through the retina through the eye back to the brain and there’s what we call pathway called the visual pathway and there are there’s circuitry. There’s basically axons neurons. This is part of the the nerve transmission the wires so to speak so the electricity can go through the wires back to the brain. Now when you came for your exam and we had you look at the dog and the pig And you were saying something like, part of the pig is disappearing. What’s happening is on the optic nerve visual pathway. The nerves are not working. They’re not passing the information back to the brain. That’s why the pig disappears. Now, some will say it’s an eye problem. Some will say it’s the brain problem. I think it’s both but People are shocked when they look at that dog and pig and they try to touch the pig, which is the left eye and they go my goodness, the pig is disappearing and you go why why is the pig disappearing? Well, because this visual pathway is so overwhelmed that it shuts down. It’s like it’s like a circuit that breaks. Sam Berne (19:07.564) Like, you know, have you ever had your electricity go out in your house? Probably you’ve had that it’s just like that. It’s like it’s it’s an overload. There’s a circuit that breaks and so again, vision therapy is a great way to help fix that breakdown in the visual pathway. Again, eye doctors what they do is they measure vision through the eye chart. Okay, and it’s not really vision. It’s eyesight. It’s glasses. It’s eyeballs. And so they miss every time they miss The the suppression and vision again, I can’t tell you thousands and thousands of patients that have come to see me who’ve had very weird vision problems. And when we do that test the dog and the pig they fall out of their chair. Why is the pig disappearing? Why aren’t why aren’t professionals testing this because it explains why they’re having a problem. Okay, so That’s this backstory behind why that pig disappears. It’s happening in the optic nerve in the visual pathway, which can be fixed. All right, another very common situation. I would substitute accommodation for focus the focus mechanism overview. So focus or accommodation is a dynamic process where the lens changes its shape through coordinated action of the tiny muscles called the ciliary muscles and when we are able to make that change our Sam Berne (20:50.926) I is able to see objects clearly at a variety of distances. So it’s a great example when we start doing vision therapy how to fine-tune those muscles so kiddos can focus on their screen or you know at their desk and then they can focus on the the whiteboard or the chalkboard and being able to have that versatility is something that vision therapy addresses. But again, the regular eye doctor is not looking at the dynamic process of vision. He or she is looking at the static measurement of reading the eye chart at distance. So this is another way for you to really contribute to these kids. So the ciliary muscles are right here. These little muscles right in here. This is the lens, this little purple spherical shaped. So these muscles need to work. in order to allow the near vision and the far vision to work together. And again, I’m going to show you very specific vision therapy exercises that target the ciliary muscle and accommodation. It’s going to be great. But for now, all we’re doing is letting you know that this is why a child is having a focusing problem because they can’t change the muscles very well. Now another thing to note the eye is mostly fluid. Okay, we have a front part which is called the aqueous humor and we have the back part which is called the vitreous the gel the gel sack. So these need to be clear fluid. Sam Berne (22:40.046) But a lot of times because of inflammation because of stagnation in the channels there gets to be congestion. One of the most famous congested descriptions of the vitreous are something called eye floaters. It’s my most asked question in in my social media. What can I do to get rid of eye floaters? Or in the anterior chamber, the aqueous aqueous anterior P posterior posterior vitreous interior posterior. There are ways that you can do vision therapy exercises to clear up the fluid to reduce the inflammation and I will be teaching those to you at a later time. Another thing that happens is if the fluid begins to solidify. What happens is a pressure can build up in the eye and that’s called glaucoma. It’s a very scary disease because it can lead the blindness and you don’t even know it. So there are again vision therapy exercises. There’s nutritional things that you can feed the eyes to help bring the eye pressure down because otherwise you’re just dealing with needles drugs and surgery. That’s all that’s available in the allopathic world which work but there you pay the price because they’re side effects. All right. I want to Your mom’s yeah, I mean you could you know somebody exactly. Well, the thing is is that more and more people are having these problems for a variety of reasons and I want to focus in on this this big orange part of the eye. This is the back part of the eye called the vitreous and it’s a gel sack. It’s made of a jelly like material of water and amino acids. Sam Berne (24:43.296) And what happens is is that over time as we age this compartment begins to shrink. And it pulls away from the retina. call it posterior vitreous detachment over 60 % of people over the age of I think 50 or 55 get this posterior vitreous detachment. So you get flashing lights. You get sparkles. You get a lot of eye floaters and part of it is because the integrity of this compartment begins to shrink it dries out. So again, hydration, oxygenation are so important, especially in this area to avoid the posterior vitriol detachment and or floaters because once you get the floaters, then it becomes a little harder to get rid of them. You can get rid of them, but it’s it’s definitely a tall order and Yeah, of course you you are you the glasses are really helping you. I can imagine we reduce the prescription and you saw the immediately like this feels more relaxing. I remember you were wearing the glasses down on your nose because the prescription was way too strong for you. And so anyway the role of the vitreous body in eye stability. So that we want to keep our vitreous We don’t want it to shrink because if we can keep it at a the same level of size, then our vision stays clear. Our retina is in place and we can focus on images. So again, you’re going to learn a variety of different ways to feed and bathe the vitreous. Okay, so now we’re going to move to eye muscles and the Sam Berne (26:43.854) The thing about the eye is that it has six muscles that attach to the outside part of the eye and What I would say about the so on your test, one of the questions is going to be how many muscles are on the outside part of the eye? So you already got that question. Another question you’re going to get is what part of the eye has floaters? Well, we already talked about the vitreous. Another question is the optic nerve carries visual impulses to the brain’s vision centers for interpretation. That’s a cool question. I’m going to ask you what part of the eye carries the impulses back to the brain. So you’re getting the questions here. Let’s go to the anatomy. So we have The six muscles one, sorry, one, this is the one at the bottom of the eye called inferior. This is at the top. This is called superior, inferior, superior. And then this is the right eye. So this would be the outside part or the lateral. And this would be the inside part, the medial. So inferior, superior, lateral, medial. Those muscles move the eye up and down and horizontally. Okay. So when we when we start talking about tracking exercises, those eye muscles are really important. Now, it doesn’t mean that we have to strengthen them. What it means is the brain has to have better control of them. Sam Berne (28:29.782) So there’s always this thing when people have problems with tracking. The parents will say, we got to strengthen the muscles. No, don’t have to. Their muscles are very strong. We just have to learn to control them and aim them better. And that’s what vision therapy does really, really well. So I’ve labeled the four muscles superior rectus, inferior rectus, lateral rectus, medial rectus. So those are the four muscles that attach to the eyeball. And then we have two more called the inferior oblique. So this little curve here, inferior, which is below or underneath and superior on top. And this is superior oblique. So the obliques Rotate the eye. Okay, the rectus muscles move the eyes up and down and left and right. That’s going to be on your test. And so basically what happens is that a child doesn’t understand how to track their eyes. So when we do tracking exercises, we’re working on the rectus muscles or the oblique muscles. Now, one of the issues that happens If you see this picture of this young girl, she’s got right eye turning in. Esotropia right eye esotropia. Now when we see an eye turning in like that, the child is seeing two things possibly two choices. She’s got the first is double vision. So I see two of things or the optic nerve and the visual pathway have shut down that right eye. That’s called visual suppression. So those are the two options that the brain and the child are going to to manifest. So in this particular case, it could be the lateral rectus muscle. The muscle on the outside is overworking and the medial rectus muscle. The inner muscle there is under working. Okay. Now sometimes with these muscle movements and actions. Sam Berne (30:44.812) What we need to do is we need to work on two different types of movements. The pursuits are the smooth movement. So if you use my fingers, that’s smooth. That’s pursuits. That’s like for reading. And then the second part are called saccades where we’re jumping. I’m jumping my two eyes to different places. So we need to be able to have both of those coordinated movements and our eye muscles have to be working that way. In the functional vision screening that I’m going to teach you next time, we’re going to go over the different kinds of eye movements and how to measure them and how to grade them. And it’s a it’s a really excellent way to begin to see changes in not only a child’s eye movements, but their performance because if you improve their tracking skills, their reading is going to get better. Their writing is going to get better. Their sports is going to get better. And you’re going to look like a rock star like wow. How did the parents are going to love you because you are doing something to teach that skill so that they can track both eyes together. So we’ve got that kind of situation the pursuits in the sink saccades and then the second kind of movement is similar to what we’re doing with the Brock string, which I know you’re using which is both eyes are moving either close, which is convergence or they’re moving parallel or even slightly apart. That’s called divergence. So we’ve got two sets of movements here. We’ve got the tracking and then we’ve got the virgins convergence divergence. They’re different movements and different skills that we have to teach. So when we teach them And we do it through vision therapy and the child goes through the exercises on a daily basis. We start to see improvements not only in the eye movements, but the virgins movements. And then a lot of things change around their processing of information, their engagement, their movement, their mood, their confidence, they’re getting along with their siblings or others. Sam Berne (33:06.06) their ability to do many, many things and problem solve. So it’s a huge influence on learning as you work with these eye movements and virgins movements. Now, we’re not going to get into this and in this lecture, but one of the best ways to initially work with eye movements and virgins movements is working on the primitive reflexes. Maybe you’ve seen this. don’t know. I know whenever I start the primitive reflex movements, what I’ll notice in a few weeks is the eye movements get better and I’m not doing any vision therapy in the tracking. There’s something about working with the primitive reflexes. You’re shaking your head. Yes, that has an effect on these specific muscles. It’s magic. It’s amazing. I know you’ve experienced it and I’m going to teach it more. Sam Berne (34:05.87) You said don’t do it for extended period of time. Well, it’s easier doing that way. I mean, is that helping it more than just or is it the reflex itself? I think it’s probably a combination but the reflex itself because where it originates in the brain the survival brain you are you are calming that part of the brain down so that they can have better body control on a specific muscle level. So I’m not against eye patching. I just think that What I have found is short-term patching. It makes much more sense to the child than long-term patching. So I’m going to come to this slide. See this child here. This was one of my patients that came to see me and they were patching this child eight hours a day. And what was happening was the eye that which was the strong eye, the left eye, which is patched. that began to develop laziness. That was the strong eye. But because it was patched for so long that I became weak and it really didn’t have an impact on this. I also this was a very strong farsighted prescription. So we took the lenses off the child and we stopped the patching and what we noticed was that the visual engagement was so much better the The balancing the hopping the motor skills got better. The auditory processing got so much better. In fact, the occupational therapist tried an experiment by taking the glasses off in the eye patch off and she was doing specific auditory processing therapy with the child and she found that with the glasses off in the eye patch off the auditory processing was so much better and that was a signal that she had to refer The child to me because the prescription that the child was in was much too strong and the eye patching wasn’t working. So when you’re doing eye patching, it needs to be done in my opinion equally and for short intervals. And so whatever you’re doing do it equally because what will happen like in this case and this has happened thousands of times the so-called good eye starts to become the bad eye. Sam Berne (36:32.91) starts to become the lazy eye and that’s the last thing you want to create. Also this child emotionally and energetically was really shut down. We had to do a lot of craniosacral therapy and color therapy because she was traumatized from why do I have to wear this patch? You know, it was a fight with the parents. There was no reason why she should wear that eye patch. Now again, when We can do the saccadic movements of the pursuit movements with each eye separately, which we did do some of that, but the full-time patching eight hours a day. We stopped that because it just wasn’t working. I don’t want to talk just for a moment about eye muscles and nerves because there are nerves that go to the muscles that stimulate them. We call these cranial nerves and there are three main cranial nerves that affect the eye muscles. There’s cranial nerve 3 which affects the rectus muscles. There’s cranial nerve 4 which affects the oblique muscles and there’s cranial nerve 6 which affects the lateral and the medial rectus muscles. What I put here is some of the muscles that what they do. So the levator is the main muscle that that pulls the eyelid up. Sometimes we have people with a with what we call a ptosis or the lid is kind of just lagging down. And so by improving this muscle here, we can stop that eyelid blocking the eye. The superior rectus moves the muscle up. Medial rectus moves it towards the nose. We talk about functional dynamic anatomy. It involves these different components and I talk about the cornea the tears I talk about dynamic function adjusting the lens. So it’s just another thing that you can read and again, you’ll have it in your when you get the PDF of Sam Berne (38:56.216) There we go. And so I’ve put a couple of articles in here, a couple of articles one on strabismus. So when you work with crossed eyes or uncrossed eyes, you see, you probably know this, but when a doctor sees a child with an eye that’s crossing or uncrossing like wandering out, the first thing they think of is doing eye muscle surgery. Sam Berne (39:27.246) Okay, they they want to do eye muscle surgery. And when you do eye muscle surgery for the rest of that person’s life, they are going to be insecure and they’re not going to trust their vision. Because when you change the length of the muscle in the eye, you know, I showed you those six muscles. You haven’t told the brain anything. So the brain is like, okay, you’ve done something here. I don’t really know what you’ve done. The brain is now talking. So I don’t know what to do. I’m going to go back to the way it was before the surgery. And this is why the success rate of eye muscle surgery is so low because they have to do multiple surgeries. The more surgeries, the more confusion, the more scar tissue. Now, what I can say is in your geographical area. I’m not going to name it but in your geographical area, they probably do a lot of eye muscle surgeries. And so if you get a child and you get a family like that, I’m going to counsel you on how to talk to the parents. So they’re not freaking out. So they’re not scared into doing some invasive surgery like this and vision therapy works in incredibly well to teach a person how to keep their eyes straight and it’s an organic Learning like I’ve learned how to use my two eyes together. I don’t need that surgery that surgery is treating a symptom because the eyes may look straight for a while, but they’re not going to function any differently. So strabismus when you’re doing vision therapy for strabismus, it’s a long lasting result. Okay. Now, I also wrote an article about the optic nerve and we talked about, you know, suppression visual suppression. It’s like when you do those red green charts and reds over the right eye and green is over the left eye and you’re doing the red green and you go to you. I can’t see the green very well. I think this was with your kids even that’s the brain and the optic nerve shutting on off and so Sam Berne (41:51.502) There are vision therapy exercises that stimulate that so that you stop the suppression. And then the last thing is on how to keep the eyelids healthy. Probably down the road. You’re going to get a question on, know, I’ve got inflammation here. I’ve been using steroids or other nasty pharmaceuticals. What can be done like herbal compresses or eye massage to keep the eyelids healthy? fact, today I did a class on our membership on how to keep the eyelids healthy and it was all about putting sound into the eyelids to open up the circulation and it works very very well. So you’ll have those articles and I didn’t put any videos in it. I may send you some but I think it’s enough. So wrapping up. This has been an introduction to the anatomy of the eye, especially the functional aspect of the eye and how that eye brain body connection and the structure and the function. We’re looking at all these different layers the structure and function of the cornea the retina the lens the pupil the iris the optic nerve. Remember function if we know the function we can apply vision therapy. to change the performance and that’s that’s really the basis here. Iris and pupil lens and accommodation retina and photoreceptors optic nerve and transmission the fluid of the eye the aqueous and the vitreous body the eye movements and there you go. So in terms of the questions that I’m going to ask you on the test. What is functional dynamic and anatomy? Can you describe what it is? What is the iris control? Well, controls the size of the pupil which regulates the amount of light entering. The iris also shows us genetic tendencies and nurture points. What is the white part of the eye called? It’s called the sclera. What’s the function? It’s responsible for I’m sorry. Sam Berne (44:09.166) So now we talk about the lens of the eye. The function of the lens is responsible for focusing light on the retina and also for a combination the retina the structure. It’s a multi-layered sensory tissue lining the back of the eye. What’s it made of rods and cones? What does the optic nerve do? It carries visual impulses to the brain’s vision centers. So you have the questions. When we do the written exam and there might be a little essay, but you’ll have those what what I want to emphasize in the anatomy is that you don’t have to memorize every little thing, but just to know that we’re working on functional anatomy so we can change the performance and in some cases the function when we change the function the structure gets better. I’ll give you an example. somebody that has a cataract. If we start improving the circulation in the eye through exercises, sometimes the cataract will reverse or go away. So the function, if we change the function, the structure changes. So that’s a very powerful idea that function can change structure, but it can not only in the eye, but in the whole body. If we change the way we use something in the body, it’s going to change the anatomy. And so that’s why just doing repetitive movements. That’s all we do. Eventually, there’s going to break be a breakdown in the structure. That’s why we have to do a versatility of a variety of movements outside the box. That’s what vision therapy is so good for because whatever you’re doing in vision therapy is out of the box. It’s something that the person is not normally doing. So you’re going to get results. You’re going to get improvements. Because just giving them a little bit is going to make a huge change in how they see how they process how they move how they balance how they think how they problem solve even if there’s a developmental delay or you know brain injury or even you know kids like with Down syndrome and autism when you apply vision therapy you are contributing something new to the brain and the eyes and this is going to change everything. It’s kind of like a ripple effect.…
Keywords Hawaii, travel, Maui, Molokai, adventure, nature, functional vision, wellness, retreats, exploration Summary In this episode, Sam Berne introduces his practitioners training program and membership offerings before transitioning into a personal narrative about his travels to Hawaii. He shares his experiences exploring the islands, particularly Maui and Molokai, highlighting the natural beauty, cultural significance, and personal connections he made during his adventures. The conversation emphasizes the importance of travel and exploration in personal growth and wellness. Takeaways The practitioners training program is open to non-eye doctors. Traveling can provide a sense of spiritual home. Hawaii offers diverse experiences from ocean to lava. Maui is known for its breathtaking landscapes and waterfalls. Molokai has a rich history and is less commercialized. Camping and hiking in Hawaii can be transformative experiences. Exploring different cultures enhances personal growth. Traveling allows for a deeper connection with nature. The importance of sharing personal stories and experiences. Creating a library of knowledge can benefit others. Sound Bites “I want to talk a little bit about travel.” “Hawaii felt like home to me.” “Molokai is a very interesting Island.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Program Announcements 02:23 Exploring the Beauty of Hawaii 03:12 Adventures in Maui and Molokai Sam Berne (00:00) Hey everyone, welcome to the program today. So before we get into the main part, I want to make a few announcements. First of all, I am offering a practitioners training program and these are for non eye doctors. This is a program which is called functional vision integrative body and it’s a one-year program where I teach you the methods that I have developed. in physical therapy, educating your clients on how to improve their vision, their brain health, their body health from a physical, emotional and spiritual perspective. So if you’re interested in this program, and by the way, you don’t need to be an eye doctor. The way I’ve set up this program is you could be a massage therapist, a teacher, an occupational therapist, a psychologist, whatever. And program is geared as an educational coaching program so you won’t get in any trouble from any licensing boards but the information will be very effective in working with your clients. So if you’re interested you can go to my website DrSanBurn.com you can email me appointments at DrSanBurn.com and we can have a conversation and see if it’s right for you. The other thing is is I want to tell you about my membership program. We’re on year number three. I have got so much exclusive content in there. I’ve got different courses that I’ve taught and different ideas that I don’t want to put on social media a little too controversial but in the membership program or protected with confidentiality. Also, I’m now putting up some of my written blogs that I’ve done over the years. It’s really good stuff. stuff and I post three or four times a week just on the membership. So it’s 20 bucks a month. You have a seven-day free trial period. If you want to sign up, you can go to my homepage, dr. Sanburn.com under the word vision. You’ll see join membership and you can join for free and check it out and see if it’s for you. All right. So in today’s show, I’m not going to talk about eyes. In fact, you know what was interesting? I was having breakfast with a friend the other day and at the end of our conversation, she said, you know, I have a friend who’s got this condition called macular pucker. Have you ever heard of it? And I said, well, yes, I’ve worked with it a lot. And if you go to my YouTube channel and you type in macular pucker, Dr. Byrne, you’re probably going to get several free video blogs on macular pucker. He’s like, my goodness, you are the best, you know, that you have created this library, this archive. of eye conditions and you know I can’t say that I’ve created a video for every single eye condition but over the last seven years I have put together so many content pieces both in podcast form audio video written that it’s time for me to Broaden out a little bit and talk about some of my other interests and this may or may not be interesting to you but I want to talk a little bit about travel because I love travel and Some of the other things that I also am into I may do a podcast on it. So today I want to talk about Traveling to Hawaii. I don’t know how many people out there it in my community have been to Hawaii. know many of you have come to my dolphin swim retreats, my other retreats in Hawaii. So I want to talk a little bit about why I like Hawaii, some of the tips you can do if you travel there. My first entree in going to Hawaii was back in January of 1990, a few years ago. And I’d sold my Pennsylvania practice. I put all my stuff in my car, which wasn’t very much. I had an old Toyota Corolla barely could get across the country. I have a lot of money. And so I dropped my stuff off at this apartment that I rented in Santa Fe and I had signed up to meet a group out in Hawaii. I’d never been to Hawaii. In fact, I had hardly ever been to the West Coast and it was a month long. backpacking trip. I had never done backpacking throughout all the islands of Hawaii. Now, this is back in 1990 before there’s been this tourist explosion where it’s kind of become Disneyland in a lot of ways these big resorts and you know, these big groups and so on. So I landed I remember landing in Maui and my tour leader who’s a woman very nice lady. She picked me up and I had all my, you know, my camping stuff and my backpack and I met up with the group and we drove up to Holly Ocola. Holly Ocola is this big crater in Maui and you can actually, you can camp up at the top and you can watch the sunrise. So you’re actually above the clouds and it was such an amazing experience. I mean, coming from Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, the East Coast and Hawaii felt like home to me. I mean, so did Santa Fe, but Hawaii in a different way felt home. It’s kind of like a spiritual home. Well, anyways, the next day we we packed up our stuff and they had a van and they took our van like 14 miles away. We walked through the crater of Haleakala, which I highly recommend even if you just walk down in it in Maui. It’s kind of an otherworldly type of place. But we did this 14 mile hike and we went through these lava tubes and which is another amazing thing like like caves. I mean, there’s just so many different ways to experience Hawaii from the ocean to the lava to the Hawaiian culture and so many other things. So in Maui, we we spent time at Haleakala. Then we went to a small town where we took this winding road to a place called Hana. And Hana is a small town. I don’t know if it is anymore. And there’s a wonderful hike there that you can do and go to waterfalls. So synonymous with Hawaii is waterfalls, know, just so many of them. And so we spent about 10 days in Maui and we had a great time. And then we took a plane and we went to Molokai. Molokai is a very interesting Island again at the time. It was very uninhabited. Now. I understand there’s a lot of eco tourism there and we went to the Father Damien Church. was a settlement in Molokai where people suffered leprosy and so they were all in this community and I remember we were top of this Vista and we had to do this really long switchback hike down into the settlement area and there are still people living there who had had leprosy and we took up this school bus through the lava fields and we got to the church that Father Damien led for these people. So in visiting Father Damien’s church in the backyard, the backside of the church outside, you could look out to the ocean. Then there was this big stone rock in the middle of the ocean and there were white caps out there and it was so serene and peaceful to be there. Now, Malachi is, you know, it’s it’s a fairly uninhabited Island again today. It has definitely been discovered, but it’s still worth going to because is it’s pretty old Hawaiian in a lot of ways and we just had the greatest time camping and hiking in Malachi because it was pretty rough and tumble. Well, that’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in and until next time everyone take good care.…
From Visionary Products to Empowering Knowledge: My Next Chapter My journey has always been about innovation, education, and integrity. While the chapter of selling products has come to a close, my mission to empower others is stronger than ever. Now, I am dedicated to sharing his intellectual property and leveraging decades of experience to educate entrepreneurs and professionals on navigating product liability, social media marketing, and brand development with clarity and confidence. Through engaging blogs, lectures, and podcasts, I offer actionable insights to help business owners protect themselves, build resilient brands, and make informed decisions in a complex marketplace. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned professional, or advocate of holistic health, my story and expertise can illuminate your path forward. Join me on this exciting new journey where knowledge becomes the most powerful product of all. Visit my business website: www.eyeclaritybusinesssolutions.com Contact me for a consultation; appointments@drsamberne.com Keywords marketing, branding, social media, audience targeting, content creation, influencer marketing, data analysis, legal considerations, brand story, pain points Summary In this conversation, Dr. Sam Berne shares valuable insights on improving marketing strategies and building a strong brand identity for businesses. He emphasizes the importance of utilizing social media effectively, understanding target audiences, and creating engaging content. Dr. Berne also discusses the significance of influencer marketing, data analysis, and legal considerations in business. Throughout the discussion, he highlights the need for businesses to stay agile and responsive to market demands while crafting a unique brand story that resonates with their audience. Takeaways Social media is a free way to build your brand. Brand identity is crucial for long-term success. Narrowing your target audience enhances engagement. TikTok can help your content go viral. You should think of yourself as a media company. Repurposing content can maximize reach. Email lists are a valuable asset for businesses. Influencer marketing can expand your audience. Analyzing data helps refine your marketing strategy. Identifying pain points can lead to business opportunities. Sound Bites: “Building a stronger brand identity is crucial.” “The customer is coming to you with branding.” “Narrowing your target audience is key.” “TikTok is one of the hottest platforms.” “You are now a media company.” “Your email list is gold.” “Stay agile and be able to pivot.” “Identifying pain points is striking gold.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Marketing and Branding Strategies 02:52 Building a Strong Brand Identity 05:53 Target Audience and Social Media Segmentation 08:58 Leveraging Social Media Platforms 12:11 Content Creation and Repurposing Strategies 15:03 Utilizing Podcasts and Newsletters 17:50 Influencer Marketing and Partnerships 20:46 Analyzing Data and Staying Agile 23:55 Legal Considerations in Business 26:50 Crafting Your Unique Brand Story 30:12 Identifying Pain Points in Your Market…
Keywords vision therapy, behavioral optometry, eye health, personal development, holistic healing, functional vision, primitive reflexes, meditation, emotional health, professional coaching Summary In this conversation, Sam Berne discusses his journey in the field of vision therapy, highlighting the influence of his mentors, Dr. Albert A. Shankman and Dr. Albert A. Sutton. He shares insights on the importance of holistic approaches to eye health, the role of emotional and physical well-being in vision improvement, and the significance of primitive reflexes in developmental optometry. Berne emphasizes the need for surrendering to the process of healing and the value of continuous learning in his practice. Takeaways Functional vision integrates physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Vision therapy can significantly improve reading comprehension. Surrendering to the process is essential for healing. Primitive reflexes are crucial for children’s vision development. Holistic approaches are often overlooked in mainstream optometry. Continuous learning from mentors shapes professional growth. Emotional tension can manifest as vision problems. Building connections in the professional community is vital. Vision improvement requires commitment and consistency. Dr. Sutton’s techniques are applicable in special needs education. Sound Bites “Primitive reflexes start in utero.” “He was way ahead of his time.” “Take good care of your vision.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Functional Vision Integrative Body 04:12 The Influence of Dr. Albert A. Shankman 12:16 Learning from Dr. Albert A. Sutton Sam Berne (00:00.078) Hey everyone. Welcome to the program. Before we start. I have a few announcements. First of all, many of you know that I’ve started a practitioners training and it’s called functional vision integrative body. And this has come after 40 years of distilling A lot of information, not only about improving your eyes and vision, but things like brain health, body health, working on a physical, emotional and spiritual level, using things like color therapy, iridology, craniosacral, somatic movement and many other things. So I’ve written up this course for non eye doctor. So it’s a coaching program and it works for any practitioner. let’s say you’re a chiropractor and somebody comes in and they’re complaining about their eyes while they’re exercises and strategies and educational things that you can teach your clients or patients to get better. I’ve been working with a few body workers like massage therapists, craniosecral therapists, somatic experiencing therapists, and they’re just loving the program. So if you’re interested, contact me appointments at drsamburn.com and we can have a conversation, see if it’s a good fit for you. Sam Berne (01:39.842) The other thing I want to mention is my membership program. We’re going on year number three and what I’ve done is I’ve taken a lot of my creative energies that I used to put towards social media and I’ve created content that is exclusively for the membership. It’s about 20 bucks a month. It’s really worth it. If you’re interested in some of the deeper issues that might be going on not only about your eyes, but about health spirituality meditation energy medicine things like that. So if you’re interested in the membership, I highly recommend it. You can go to my website, drsamburn.com and right below the word vision. You’ll see membership and you can click on that and there’s a free seven-day period where you can join and you can peruse the content. What I’ve started to do over the last few weeks is post my written blogs. I’ve written a lot of written blogs over the years and I’m starting to post those in the membership. know some people like like to read and so we’re going to offer you things whether you listen watch or read. reduce the resistance in your quest of the information. The last thing I’m going to be offering which I’ve actually started is some professional coaching in the area of marketing, social media, brand building. Sam Berne (03:24.174) I’ve been very successful at doing those things. In fact, I was recognized by a nonprofit organization here in Santa Fe to offer seminars and do some private coaching. And of course, this is all volunteer, but I want to widen the net. So if you’re a health practitioner, if you’re a young entrepreneur, Contact me, you can go to my business website, iClarityBusinessSolutions.com and you can read some of my blogs and some of my offerings. And if you want some help in the area of growing your business, I love working with young entrepreneurs, that’s what I’ve done with this nonprofit. Contact me and we can see if we’re a good fit. Okay, let’s go on to the show today. My number two mentor is an optometrist Albert A. Shankman. Dr. Shankman. You want to know about this guy? So Dr. Shankman was an optometrist. He was a behavioral optometrist who practiced in the Connecticut area. And after I moved back to the East Coast after my internships were over and I was moonlighting in a lot of different primary care offices, you know, looking for the place where I could start in and open my own office or affiliate with somebody. I remember getting a flyer in the mail and it was an invitation from Dr. Shankman and he was saying that he is doing a year-long program for any optometrist who’s interested in learning his method of vision therapy and he called it psycho behavioral vision enhancement. In fact, he wrote a book about it. Vision enhancement training, psycho behavioral vision and enhancement. you’re interested. Sam Berne (05:17.997) And so I enrolled in the course. Now I was living in Philadelphia at the time and I just started a practice there. And in my own vision, I had a couple things going on for, so I was very nearsighted. And the second thing was, is that reading was not something I was very interested in. Even though I was an A student, I did well in school, I was in the National Honor Society. I was never really good at taking, you know, the, the SATs and you know, those, those kinds of tests. And comprehension was not easy for me reading comprehension. So when I contacted Dr. Shankman and I went up and I had an evaluation from him, I decided I was going to be a patient of his. So I would go up once a month. It was about four hour drive. and I would do vision therapy with him over the weekend. Now at that time, he was in his mid 70s, so he had sold his practice and he was living in a retirement community, had a great condo and his wife, Shankman, she also worked in his office as a vision therapist and we became quite close like family. And every month I would go up there and I would, you know, get an update in my vision therapy program. And then in between I was doing 20 to 40 minutes every day, seven days a week of vision therapy practices that were very different than what I learned in school. They were very involved in movement and balance and working with the eye patch and looking at psycho-emotional and spiritual and energetic reasons around, you know, my own vision problems. And I remember Dr. Shankman said two things to me at my first visit. He said my myopia was a result of the tension that I carried in my eyes as a way to muscle my way to the answer. And that was pretty accurate. Second thing he said is the reason why I wasn’t a good reader is that my left eye wandered out. I had very poor convergence. Sam Berne (07:23.631) with my eyes, especially when I read and this either leads to confusion, double vision, suppression in the eye. When our two eyes don’t work together, the brain gets confused and it tends to suppress, you know, the non-dominant eye. And so I started in an Invisvision therapy practice and within a couple of months, I noticed that my nearsighted prescription reduced and it kept reducing and as I kept reducing, Consciousness opened up insights opened up things changed for me and you know myopia is related a lot to the kidneys and fear. and tension. And I noticed that a lot of that stuff was kind of just evaporating. And at the same time, I also noticed that I was reading better, that my comprehension got better, that I understood what I read. I could read more. I could read faster. And I got to a point six months in the program and he made you commit to a year. And that is a actually very important point because You know, people think, I can go to a behavioral optometrist once and get the changes and that’s not true. because the habits and the conditioning and the belief systems around our visual system get ingrained very early on. In fact, our eyes are like, you know, videotape library where we as children internalize our parents’ experiences. And Dr. Shankman pointed that out to me and he was right. And then about six months in, I got kind of frustrated because I want my, I was very goal oriented and I wanted to get to a place where, Sam Berne (09:10.873) want to get rid of my nearsightedness completely. And it wasn’t happening. In fact, the more I stressed into it, the worse my eyes got, even though it hadn’t been making a lot of progress. So he said to me two things. He said, first of all, you have to give up the goal. I said, I can’t do that. And second thing he said to me was you’re too attached to the results and you have to really dive into the process. like, man, I love results. I want results. That’s what I live for. So I wrestled with that. I remember talking to my brother and my brother said to me, very smart, he said… I said, well, you you paid this guy a lot of money. You’ve invested all this time. Why don’t you just do what he says, you know, give it up, man. And so sometimes brothers have the wisdom. So I ended up surrendering. Surrendering is a big thing and letting go as we all know, you know, because change is is constant, right? And we’re always changing. Things are always changing. Sometimes it’s very uncomfortable. But how can we surrender into and with the change. So after I changed my mindset with him, with Dr. Shankman, some magical things started to happen. My eyesight really started to improve. In fact, one day I woke up and I was late to the office. I lived in Center City, Philadelphia. My office was out on the main line and I was like halfway to the office. I went, my goodness. I forgot to put my contacts in and I can read the road signs. So that was kind of like a come to Jesus moment where I was like, wow, I don’t really need these lenses anymore. Sam Berne (11:00.077) And so we continued on. One of the things that Dr. Shankman recommended that I do is take up meditation, which I did and I still meditate. so doing a lot of different modalities along with vision therapy, I completely dissolved my near sighted prescription and I was 28 years old at the time. So it inspired me to move into a direction where I was going to exclusively work in a practice where I was helping people improve their vision. Road less traveled because if I’d gone mainstream, sold glasses, gotten into disease-based care, I probably would have made a lot more money. I would probably, in some ways, in terms of the profession, been more acknowledged. But I took the road less traveled, kind of like my modus operandi. I tend to do that a lot. And it set me off in a career where I’m still doing it today, 40 years later, and probably will continue to do it until I physically can’t anymore. So Dr. Shankman, kudos to you for giving me so many gifts, and you’re right up there in Mount Rushmore with Dr. Sanit. Okay. The third eye doctor I want to talk about is a developmental optometrist who practiced in Florida. met him when he was in his seventies and it’s an interesting story. His name is Dr. Albert A. Sutton, Dr. Sutton. And when I moved to New Mexico, I had a hard time getting a license to practice because New Mexico is a good old boys state. and it’s a poor state, 48th poorest state in the union. And so they kind of limit the number of outsiders that come in to get a license. And I was having trouble, even though I thought I passed all the tests and I had to retake the national boards, which is a standardized written test. Sam Berne (13:04.043) I had to take pathology slides, you know, things like that. So I was at a conference and I met Dr. Sutton and I told him my dilemma. He said, why used to be on the state board in Colorado? And here’s the strategy. This is what you need to do. You need to call up the president of the board, tell him you’re doing vision therapy, behavioral optometry, and you know, let him get to know you. Don’t try to sue him or, you know, get mad at him. Be friends, make connections. network. And so I did that for about six months and magically and miraculously. I got my license after the third try. So New Mexico license is very valuable not only for New Mexico, but then I recognize that there was a reciprocity deal with New Mexico and Hawaii. So I also have a Hawaii license and in my next show. I’m going to talk about my relationship with Hawaii and talk a little bit about travel there. I tend to like to go outside of just talking about eyes. So stay tuned for that show. Anyways, Dr. Sutton and I became friends and I became a student of his and Dr. Sutton was really a pioneer in the field of development in children learning and his testing was very whole body. He had a test called mind body testing where he tested vestibular visual fixation body movement bilateral integration many different things. And then he brought two of my now close colleagues from Scandinavia Lena and Thorkeld Rasmussen who were doctors of optometry and they practiced in Denmark and Sweden and he brought them to the United States and they taught us the primitive survival reflexes and the primitive reflexes is such an essential part of vision therapy, especially with kids. Sam Berne (15:14.925) OTs, some of them do primitive reflexes. There are a few people out there that are teaching it, but primitive reflexes, those movement patterns start in utero and the purpose of those movement patterns is to help the newborn adjust to being outside the birth canal in the womb. And many, many kids who have vision problems that are school-aged still have the primitive reflexes. And Dr. Sutton recognized that because he worked with Arnold Gazelle at the Gazelle Institute. It’s place that I attended in the mid 1980s and the gazelle Institute was at that time a beacon of light for vision development. Now again, I’ve talked about the difference between eyesight and vision. Eye sight is eyeballs and glasses and reading the distance chart, but vision is how the eye brain and body work together and there’s a developmental process on when kids develop their vision as it relates to learning and academic performance. And Dr. Sutton was an expert at this. He had studied it and he developed many different protocols. He also got me involved in biochemistry testing, hair mineral analysis, and the importance of the energy in the cell having to be really high cellular health to be able to make the developmental changes that are needed, especially in the sensory motor system. He taught at Berry College in Miami and he was a world renowned expert in developmental optometry. In my view, he was not recognized enough by optometry. That was, and I remember towards the end of his life, he said to me, you know, take it to the math. because the optometrists, they’re just not ready for this. I mean, they had a hard time understanding. You get on the floor with your patient and you do things like primitive reflexes and you do craniosacral and you do, you know, vestibular training. Now, I think it’s a little more accepted in the behavioral optometry world, but back then it wasn’t and he was way ahead of his time in those things. Now, I remember I was giving a seminar at a Sam Berne (17:32.463) workshop in Florida and he attended it and people loved it. You know, they thought I was a rock star and at the end it was just him and me. The room was pretty dark and he said, you know, you’ve got some holes in your thinking. I was like what? He said, yeah, you you’re not really addressing and understanding the sequence of development in a child’s learning. And of course, you know, my ego was bruised by that, but he was a hundred percent right. And so I started to study with him and learned a lot about testing and diagnosing and treating and managing, especially in that developmental model. And to this day, I use many, many of the things that that he taught me. One of the places I work is a place called Kid Power, which is in Albuquerque. And it’s a place where kids have a lot of special needs, Down syndrome, minimal brain dysfunction, autism, you know, they’re in the autistic spectrum. and I apply many of Dr. Sutton’s techniques there to this day and learning those primitive reflexes back then has been such an essential part in being able to help kids reach their potential. So I put Dr. Sutton up on the Mount Rushmore with Dr. Sanit and Dr. Shankman. I’ve got a few others that I’ll talk about in another show, but I think that’s a That’s a mouthful right now. So I think I’m going to end it here. I want to thank you so much for tuning in today. Share this podcast. If you found it helpful again, you can go to my social media me social media feeds and also my website dr. Sam burn.com and until next time everyone take good care.…
In this episode, I interview Doug Conwell, founder of Earthwalks, Which Explores the ancient cultural and earth wisdom traditions of the American Southwest and Mexico through guided journeys and service activities. For more information, contact Doug: www.earthwalks.org. E-mail: earthwalks1@yahoo.com For even more from Dr. Sam, check out his new exclusive membership where you get access to my content and resources, new information, articles, videos, webinars: https://drsambernesmembership.com/ Keywords Earthwalks, Doug Conwell, geomancy, listening to the earth, indigenous cultures, Celtic traditions, Chaco Canyon, personal transformation, retreats, community service Summary In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Sam Berne interviews Doug Conwell, the founder of Earthwalks, exploring themes of geomancy, indigenous cultures, and personal transformation through nature. Doug shares his journey from urban life to discovering the wisdom of the earth, emphasizing the importance of listening to nature and the experiences that shape our understanding of the world. The discussion also highlights the significance of Chaco Canyon and the retreats Doug leads, fostering community and connection with the earth. Takeaways • Doug Conwell founded Earthwalks to connect people with nature. • Geomancy involves listening to the earth’s energies. • Listening to the earth can be practiced anywhere, even in urban settings. • Indigenous cultures offer profound insights into nature and spirituality. • Personal initiations are essential for growth and transformation. • Chaco Canyon is a vital site for understanding earth energies. • Retreats provide a space for deep connection and healing. • Community engagement is a key aspect of Doug’s work. • The blending of indigenous and Celtic traditions enriches spiritual practices. • Nature holds immense wisdom that can guide our lives. Sound Bites • “There’s so much wisdom in the earth.” Chapters 00:00Introduction to Earthwalks and Doug Conwell 02:55Exploring Geomancy and Listening to the Earth 05:59Indigenous and Celtic Traditions: A Juxtaposition 09:04Personal Initiations and Transformative Experiences 11:32The Significance of Chaco Canyon 14:52Leading Retreats and Community Engagement Sam Berne (00:02) Hey everyone, it’s Dr. Sam and I’d like to welcome you to another podcast. So we have a great show today. I’ve invited a really special guest. He’s been a longtime friend Doug Conwell and you guys need to know about Doug. He’s an amazing person. He does a lot of different things service in the community, but he started this. guess he started this process many years ago called Earthwalks and I went on one of his retreats in Chaco Canyon last September and it was life-changing for me. And so I wanted to bring him on and I wanted to introduce him to the community. So Doug, welcome to the program. Give us a little bio so that people can get to know who you are. Doug Conwell (01:03) Sure, happy to do that. Originally from Colorado, Sam, from Denver. Born in Denver. My family moved from there to Texas and I lived on the border in El Paso for sixth grade through college and got a really good dose of the Mexican culture, which I just adore. And was in the military in the army for a couple years and came back to Colorado thinking it was home. And it was for a while, but this huge, relentless urban development that John Denver used to sing about, and he was promoting it while he was decrying it, sort of got to me and I realized that I was hearing a call elsewhere. And that call actually got into a book called The Spirit That Wants Me. It’s an anthology of different writers, and I’m one of them that’s in it. The you know, is the spirit of this region where we’re living here in Santa Fe, the Four Corners region. But I moved to Santa Fe almost 50 years ago, about 47, 47 years ago, to actually go to massage school while I was getting my master’s degree in criminal justice and public administration. I was on a track to be wearing the American noose, which is called a necktie, and go up the ladder and… Little did I know I had a lot of changes in store for me. So that’s what happened. I started hearing that call and you know, earth energies, earth mysteries, all of those things were kind of new to me. Finding out about this word called geomancy, divining with earth energies. We were in massage school and we were dealing with our earth bodies and the energies within our… our earth bodies, which you talk about so much, Sam, and you deal with your clients. That’s so important, I know, vital. And I found out, I think it was probably while I was in massage school, about this thing called geomancy. And ended up exploring that whole area of lay lines, sacred geometry, sacred architecture, sacred sites. Definitely Chaco was one of those. And with a friend of mine, we started leading small groups of people, just kind of exploring the area. And then I went on to develop Earthwalks as it is today. Lots of other things along the way, but that’s sort of brief aspect. Sam Berne (03:36) Yes. Well, you know, it’s something we share in common and I don’t talk about this that much but you know, the divining with the earth energies, you know, going to a nature spot and really listening and I know when you facilitated the group that was a really big part of developing people’s awareness on listening and listening to the earth because there’s so much wisdom in it and Can you speak a little bit more about geomancy? What it is and you know that process that you facilitate around listening to the earth? Doug Conwell (04:21) Certainly, you know, it really is more of a, like you said, a listening meditative experience. But I remember years ago here in Santa Fe, an Australian Aboriginal woman was in town as a guest of somebody and she said what their people do is to go out on the land and lay down and feel the earth, you know, from the top of their head to the bottom of their feet. And when they need to kind of release whatever anxiety or stress that they’ve got, they breathe in to head, let that breath travel down through their whole body and through their spine and down into the earth, giving thanks to the earth for taking those, you know, that stress and transforming it, neutralizing it. So there’s so much written on this. People can certainly access all of that. But the goal that I think Earthwalks and I have for this kind of experience is really a listening goal. but it’s one that you can use when you’re in the parking lot at McDonald’s. Okay? Yes, it’s important. You absolutely need to go on retreats to amazing places like Chaco Canyon, a World Heritage site where it’s free of cell phones and asphalt and traffic and all of that kind of a thing. But once you have begun to listen, you can go back into a place like McDonald’s, you know, in the parking lot. and you start looking at things much more carefully. It’s a process of looking to at the details around you, not just taking things for granted. you know, there are a lot of… Sam Berne (05:59) Yeah, I, you know, I’ve I’ve experienced that a lot in both in New Mexico and in Hawaii and you know, the indigenous culture is such a big part of well, what you spotlight and I was wondering if you could talk about the relationship between the indigenous the Celtic because I know that’s part of your background. and some of the shamanic traditions. That would be a great juxtaposition. So what do you have to say about? Doug Conwell (06:35) Well, I didn’t know much about that before I moved to Santa Fe, moved to New Mexico. I think that’s why I moved here, was to learn from the continuing indigenous cultures here in this region. And then I found out, yes, there are similar ways of accessing that information inside ourselves and in nature in my own background, as you said. Sam Berne (08:35) Mm-hmm. Yeah, it’s really critical. Another thing that I’m taking about is this idea of initiation and we all go through initiations all the time and you had an experience. You shared with me about being at Bear Mountain. Where is Bear Mountain and what happened to you? Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Wow. Sure. So we’re here with Doug Conwell. He’s founder of Earthwalks and he’s involved in a lot of different healing processes. He runs retreats and he’s just a spectacular human being. I hope you guys check out his website. I’ll certainly put all that in the notes and contact him if you’re interested. So we’re coming down to the end, but I wanted to ask you about Chaco Canyon and why people should know about Chaco. So how can people learn more about it? What are some resources, you know about that you could, you know, point people to? Okay. That’s great. And you also take people to Chaco. Tell us a little bit about… Say again? Sure. Mm-hmm. So I know you lead groups there. Tell us a little bit about, you know, the process in terms of taking people and what you do and things like that. Yuri. Yes. Yes. Yeah, what what are some of the things that you you spotlight when you take people on on a trip like what I know you do it like once a year and you know, you have phenomenal people that are attracted. I mean, it’s such a great dynamic group. Can you talk a little bit about the, yeah. Very good. Yes. Yeah, that is. So how do people get in touch with you, Doug? And I will put your website and that email address on the show notes at the beginning so that people can refer to that and we will be putting this out on a video on YouTube and my website and then it will go through Apple and Spotify. So we’ll we’ll get the word out for you and I want to thank you for your generosity of spirit coming on today and I look forward to celebrating with you in the future. So take good care and thanks for being on.…
Please check out my membership. Access to my video: The 7 Day Liver Cleanse. Click link to watch: https://drsambernesmembership.com/zen/7-day-liver-cleanse-members-852bfb Practitioners! Consider my practitioners’ course. Link: https://www.drsamberne.com/practitioners-training/ Show Notes: Keywords vision therapy, mentorship, eye health, functional vision, holistic health, Sam Berne, optometry, brain health, emotional health, spiritual health Summary In this conversation, Sam Berne discusses his journey in the field of optometry, focusing on the development of his Functional Vision Integrative Body program. He reflects on the importance of mentorship in his career, highlighting key figures who influenced his approach to vision therapy and holistic health. Berne emphasizes the integration of various therapeutic modalities and the impact of vision therapy on cognitive and emotional well-being. Takeaways Sam Berne has developed a program called Functional Vision Integrative Body. The program integrates various therapeutic modalities for holistic health. Mentorship played a crucial role in Berne’s professional development. Dr. Bob Sanit was a significant mentor in vision therapy. Vision therapy can lead to neuroplasticity and cognitive improvements. Berne emphasizes the importance of emotional and spiritual health. He offers professional coaching for health practitioners and entrepreneurs. The membership program provides exclusive content on health and spirituality. Berne’s experiences in San Diego shaped his approach to optometry. He values the relationships built with mentors throughout his career. Sound Bites “I highly recommend it.” “I know you East Coast people.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Functional Vision Integrative Body 03:05 The Impact of Mentorship in Optometry 10:05 Reflections on Influential Figures in Vision Therapy Sam Berne (00:00) Hey everyone, welcome to the program. Before we start. I have a few announcements. First of all, many of you know that I’ve started a practitioners training and it’s called functional vision integrative body. And this has come after 40 years of distilling a lot of information, not only about improving your eyes and vision, but things like brain health, body health, working on a physical, emotional and spiritual level, using things like color therapy, iridology, craniosacral, somatic movement and many other things. So I’ve written up this course for non eye doctor. So it’s a coaching program and it works for any practitioner. let’s say you’re a chiropractor and somebody comes in and they’re complaining about their eyes while they’re exercises and strategies and educational things that you can teach your clients or patients to get better. I’ve been working with a few body workers like massage therapists, craniosecral therapists, somatic experiencing therapists, and they’re just loving the program. So if you’re interested, contact me appointments at drsamburn.com and we can have a conversation. See if it’s a good fit for you. The other thing I want to mention is my membership program. We’re going on year number three and what I’ve done is I’ve taken a lot of my creative energies that I used to put towards social media and I’ve created content that is exclusively for the membership. about 20 bucks a month. It’s really worth it. If you’re interested in some of the deeper issues that might be going on not only about your eyes, but about health, spirituality, meditation, energy, medicine, things like that. So if you’re interested in the membership, I highly recommend it. You can go to my website, drsamburn.com and right below the word vision, you’ll see membership and you can click on that and there’s a free day of free seven day period where you can join and you can peruse the content. What I’ve started to do over the last few weeks is post my written blogs. I’ve written a lot of written blogs over the years and I’m starting to post those in the membership. know some people like like to read and so we’re going to offer you things whether you listen watch or read. reduce the resistance in your quest of the information. The last thing I’m going to be offering which I’ve actually started is some professional coaching in the area of marketing, social media, brand building. I’ve been very successful at doing those things. In fact, I was recognized by a nonprofit organization here in Santa Fe to offer seminars and do some private coaching. And of course, this is all volunteer, but I want to widen the net. So if you’re a health practitioner, if you’re a young entrepreneur, Contact me, you can go to my business website, eyeclaritybusinesssolutions.com and you can read some of my blogs and some of my offerings. And if you want some help in the area of growing your business, I love working with young entrepreneurs, that’s what I’ve done with this nonprofit, contact me and we can see if we’re a good fit. Okay, let’s go on to the show today. The things that I think about a lot and my philosophies that I’ve developed is the relationship that I had with many older eye doctors and educators when I was just starting out and they were mentoring me. And today I would like to talk about three mentors who had a huge influence on me. And every time I start a session with somebody or I’m giving a workshop, I take a few minutes before I start and I am so grateful for all of my mentors, teachers, people who have helped me develop my philosophy and how I help people. And one of the first people that I met, I was actually still in optometry school and I went to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia and that was a very medically oriented school. You know, it’s from the East Coast and very intellectual that school really focused on eye disease and pathology as it still does now and I had the opportunity to go out West and do an internship in a doctor’s office who was practicing vision therapy and behavioral optometry and his name was dr. Bob Sanet. This point. Dr. Sanet is probably yeah in his mid 70s. I think he’s retired. I haven’t spoken to him in a long time. But I’m so fond of him because I remember landing in San Diego. That’s where his practice was. And the first thing he said to me was well, I know you East Coast people. All you like to do is go to the beach when you come out to California. And I said no, Dr. Sanet actually I’m here to learn your method. And what was amazing about his practice is that he would see like 60 patients a week who were just doing the physical vision therapy and he and his wife Linda. She was also, you know, one of my teachers and just amazing person and one of the vision therapist Margie Thompson Margie ended up because of her. Well, what happened with her own kids and getting so much benefit in vision therapy and seeing so many kids flower and be able to go back and learn to read and read to learn and just, you know, just take off after vision therapy. She started an organization called Parents Active for Vision Education, PAVE. And so the three of them really helped me and I just just going to the office every day and you know, I started to work with some of his patients after he trained me and really saw the transformation. and the neuroplasticity that our visual system has as it relates to our brain learning, cognition, memory, and so many other things. And his vision therapy program, was so successful that he had the largest vision therapy practice in San Diego. San Diego is there is kind of a cloud over San Diego in the sense of this big military. There’s also a big military. I’m sorry big medical model up in La Jolla. with the Scripps Institute and ophthalmology and so on. So there was definitely a little bit of resistance, but Dr. Sanet, because he had so much success with both kids and adults, really developed a great practice. And he had this internship program where I’m sure hundreds of young optometrists came to him and he influenced them. And I know in my time there, you know, I just learned so many things about how to evaluate, how to diagnose, how to treat, how to set up a treatment plan. And one of the most interesting treatment modalities that I still use today is something called parketry blocks. And these are special blocks. They come in a kit. And it’s a way to develop visual perception, visual memory, form perception, figure ground. These are some of the kind of more cognitive executive function visual skills. And one of their influences was a optometrist from the Pittsburgh area is actually originally from Washington DC and moved to Pittsburgh and his name is Harry Wachs and Dr. Wachs worked a lot with Piaget. So he had this whole method of helping kids develop better cognitive skills. He wrote a book called thinking goes to school. you ever want to look it up with Harry Wachs and Hans Furth. Anyways, Bob Sanet and Linda really really took Dr. Wax’s stuff, especially in the parketry area and developed their own method of helping kids really problem solve learn. And it was, it was a great, adjunct to, you he worked with strabismus crossed eyes, lazy eye. He was just really, really adept at that. And I remember at the end of the training, he actually, there was an opening in his practice and he offered me a job. And I was so flattered by that. by that offer and it was a really hard decision for me. But I knew it wasn’t the right thing for me to do even though my mantra is go West young man. I ended up moving to New Mexico about five years later. I needed to do some things back in the East Coast and I just wasn’t ready to move to Southern California and go into his practice. But we remained friends and I so appreciate him and think about him every day. Both he and his wife. So that’s my number one mentor. I think I’m going to end it here. I want to thank you so much for tuning in today. Share this podcast. If you found it helpful again, you can go to my social media feeds and also my website: www.drsamberne.com and until next time everyone take good care.…
Are you a practitioner? Learn about Dr. Berne’s practitioner’s program here: https://www.drsamberne.com/practitioners-training/ For even more from Dr. Sam, check out his new exclusive membership where you get access to my content and resources, new information, articles, videos, webinars: https://drsambernesmembership.com/ Keywords liver health, gallbladder, eye health, detoxification, herbal remedies, nutrition, holistic health, acupuncture, wellness, vision Summary In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne explores the intricate connection between liver and gallbladder health and its impact on vision. He discusses the liver’s multifaceted functions, the role of the gallbladder, and how liver health directly influences eye health. Dr. Berne shares various detoxification strategies, herbal remedies, and a comprehensive seven-day detox program to enhance liver and gallbladder function, ultimately supporting better vision and overall wellness. Takeaways The liver is a detoxification organ with over 500 functions. Liver health is crucial for eye health and vision. Bile production and fat absorption are essential for nutrient uptake. Herbs like milk thistle and dandelion root support liver health. Hydration and bitter greens stimulate bile flow. Emotional health can be affected by liver congestion. A liver gallbladder cleanse can improve vitamin absorption. A balanced diet is key for liver and gallbladder health. Spending time in nature can enhance overall well-being. Regular detoxification can lead to better eyesight and energy levels. Sound Bites “Milk thistle helps in liver regeneration.” “Bitter greens help stimulate bile flow.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Liver and Gallbladder Health 01:51 Understanding Liver Functions 03:15 The Role of the Gallbladder 06:04 Connection Between Liver Health and Eye Health 07:56 Detoxification Strategies for Liver and Gallbladder 12:12 Seven-Day Detox Program Overview Hey everybody, it’s Dr. Sam and I’d like to welcome you to the burn podcast today. We’re to be talking about the liver gallbladder connection as it relates to vision. Before we get to that. I want to remind people about my membership. Dr. Sam burn membership. This has exclusive content things you won’t see on social media my online courses and other very interesting opinions. That I don’t put on social media. So if you want to join you can go to my website, dr. Sam burn.com and in the home page, you’ll see join membership to today’s show. So I don’t know whether you know this, but I discovered it when I first moved to Santa Fe. It’s been over 30 years and I met an acupuncturist who was working a lot with liver gallbladder health as it relates to eye health. Now in optometry school, I never knew anything around the connection between the liver gallbladder and the eyes. And when I took some courses in acupuncture, I couldn’t believe as we studied the meridians of the body, how much the liver gallbladder has on our not only our eye health, but our digestive health, our brain health. And yet it’s something in allopathic medicine that’s pretty overlooked. So I want to talk about that relationship today. What you can do to support better liver gallbladder health. What’s the function of the liver gallbladder? What are some detoxes you can do? So that’s going to be our show for today. So let’s start with the basics. What is the function of the liver? Well, it’s a detoxification organ. has over 500 functions in the body as a detoxification organ. It helps filter things like toxins in the environment drugs that you might be taking and it also removes metabolic waste from the blood. The liver also produces bile which aids our digestion and helps in the absorption of fat soluble. Sam Berne (02:20.558) foods and vitamins. Probably the main ones are vitamin A, which is great for our retina cornea eyelids and lutein and zeaxanthin which help prevent macular degeneration. The liver also helps in the metabolism of our fats proteins and carbohydrates. The liver also stores our glycogen. Here are a list of vitamins that store the liver vitamin A D E and K also stores vitamin B12. Now, if you’re a vegan or a vegetarian, you want to make sure you’re getting some type of vitamin B12 supplement. The liver also synthesizes blood clotting factors. Liver also boosts the immune system. It has something called cup for cells and these cells destroy pathogens. and old blood cells. The gallbladder is very interesting because it actually stores the bile that the liver produces. So the gallbladder holds the fats until digestion is needed. Bile goes into the small intestine to emulsify fats for absorption. It also assists in the breakdown of cholesterol. What are the signs we see in the eye if a person has difficulty breaking down and excreting the cholesterol? is an Archesinellus, a white ring that’s around the edge of the iris. When we see this, we know that there could be a problem either in the liver production of the bile or the storage of it in the gallbladder. So there’s some liver signs that I see in the iris. And if there is a congestion in the liver and or the gallbladder, I like to use herbal remedies. to flush the liver and increase the liver function. So some of those herbs are number one, milk thistle, which protects against toxins and milk thistle helps in liver regeneration. Another herb I like is dandelion root. This stimulates bile production and it supports detoxification. Also like the Indian spice turmeric, it’s anti-inflammatory, it supports bile flow and it protects the liver. Sam Berne (04:42.21) I recommend burdock root. This root cleans the blood and aids in detoxification. And my last one is yellow dock, which also supports detoxification and liver health. So here are some of my favorite strategies that support liver gallbladder health. Number one is hydration. Drinking high quality filtered water, structured water, high pH water like Kagan water. is great for detoxifying the cells. Number two is bitter greens. This would be things like arugula, kale and dandelion greens, which help stimulate bile flow. Start your day with a squeeze of lemon and some warm water. This also stimulates liver cleansing. four is eating high fiber foods, things like chia seeds, flax seeds. And of course, don’t forget your vegetables and sprouted raw seeds and nuts avocados. This also helps increase bile flow and then of course avoid alcohol processed foods and sugar. I recommend lifestyle practices like putting castor oil packs on the liver gallbladder area. It’s some acupuncture that targets the liver gallbladder meridians get regular exercise which stimulates the lymphatic health. And then if you have one use an infrared sauna daily traditional Chinese medicine. The liver is connected to our eye health and the gallbladder is connected to our mental clarity and decision-making liver stores the blood which nourishes our eyes. This is a key point. If your liver is congested some of the eye symptoms you might experience would be blurry vision dry eyes and floaters. If your liver and gallbladder are overburdened, you might experience things like inflammation in the eyes. This is where you get conditions like blepharitis, dry eye syndrome, and even more serious inflammatory diseases like uveitis, which has an autoimmune effect to our body. When the energy of the liver meridian to the eyes is congested, we call this Qi stagnation. It can lead to emotional outbursts. Sam Berne (07:01.238) like anger and you experience eye stress, eye tension and dryness. And if you’re working on a digital device all day, it’s only going to make matters worse for the gallbladder, which stores the bile. It’s very important that you have good fat absorption. If you don’t, you’re not absorbing your vitamin A D E or K. This is going to affect your eye health directly. And even if you take supplements that have lutein and zeaxanthin in it, or you eat foods that contain lutein and zeaxanthin, if you’re not absorbing your fats, you’re not absorbing these ingredients. And this can lead to conditions like macular degeneration, dry eye, glaucoma, and retina issues. So doing a liver gallbladder cleanse can help you absorb those fat soluble vitamins, which are crucial. for your eye and vision health. So here’s my seven day liver gallbladder detoxification program. Day one, start the day by squeezing half a lemon in some warm water and drink it before you have any coffee tea or breakfast. The benefits of this lemon water stimulate bio production help alkalinize the body and I would get some either herbal formulas or teas. that contain the following herbs number one dandelion root number two milk thistle number three yellow dock number four burdock root and drink this tea before you have breakfast consider doing a morning smoothie. So my base tea is something called oat straw tea. So it’s a hot drink and I put in a stock of celery a little bit of beet some lemon maybe a half an apple and a teaspoon of flaxseed. What I like to do to create flaxseed powder is I take some flaxseeds and I put them in a coffee grinder and then I just grind them up and I store them in the refrigerator. That way you can put them on your salads. You can put it in the smoothies. It’s a great way to absorb flaxseeds. Peets are great for the liver. And by taking this smoothie before you eat, Sam Berne (09:20.142) It helps your digestion. get live plant enzymes and loads of antioxidants that are easy to absorb mid morning. I would take a milk thistle capsule 250 to 300 milligrams mid morning. Also, you could have some ginger tea, some peppermint tea, something again to support your digestive system for lunch. I need a healthy salad that contains kale avocado dandelion root arugula cilantro include in the salad beets. carrots and I would add some pumpkin seeds. This contains zinc, which is a very important trace mineral that helps in the absorption of fat soluble foods and vitamins for the salad dressing. I would make my own olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite things to use as a way to alkalinize the body and it’s high in potassium for snacks in the mid afternoon. I would use cucumber celery and maybe a handful of walnuts. For dinner, I would recommend a soup that contains broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, these cruciferous vegetables. They are sulfur rich that help in detoxification. Make sure to add garlic and onions and a base of bone broth, which will help in your mineral absorption. I would have some turmeric tea with a pinch of black pepper and some coconut oil. And then before bed, I would do a liver. detox drink which contains one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Make sure it’s raw and unfiltered in an 8 ounce glass of warm water. I would also add a dash of manuka honey. If you have it, this will support a gentle detox while you sleep. I would learn a breathing practice things like pranayama or other yogic breathing could be very helpful in terms of stimulating relaxation. I also like to do skin brushing. before any shower or bath and of course avoid things like caffeine, alcohol, processed foods and sugar. Some other strategies to detoxify and flush your liver would be number one, get some bitters, put them in an eight ounce glass of water, sip it before a meal, take your omega-3s during this time before you eat and also some dietary enzymes. This will help flush the liver Sam Berne (11:43.806) and stimulate your digestion before you eat. I also recommend a magnesium formula and if you’re going to do any sweetening things, I would do 70 % cacao. You can make that into a drink or you can have it as a little snack, but keep the sugars and the chocolates in a low glycemic form. Some of the signs of progress could be better eyesight, better sleep, healthier skin, more balanced energy. Also, one last thing. I think it’s very important to spend some time every day in nature. That’s a way where you can slow down. You get into the rhythm of nature, enjoy the sunshine, especially in the morning. If you do these things, I think you can support better liver gallbladder health. So if you’ve got any questions, send me an email appointments at dr. Sam burn.com. I’m happy to consult with you. That’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in until next time. Take care.…
Keywords myopia, eye strain, reduced prescription, vision correction, eye health, nearsightedness, eye muscles, prescription glasses, vision therapy, eye fatigue Summary In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne addresses a common concern regarding myopia and the adjustment to reduced prescriptions. He explains the physiological and psychological factors contributing to eye strain and muscle tension when transitioning to a less strong prescription. Dr. Berne emphasizes the importance of understanding the habits that lead to eye strain and offers practical advice for easing into new prescriptions, ultimately highlighting the potential benefits of reduced prescriptions for improving overall eye health. Takeaways Reduced prescriptions can reveal underlying eye muscle tension. Eye strain is often a result of habitual squinting and straining. Adjusting to a reduced prescription requires patience and practice. Wearing a less strong prescription can improve distance vision over time. Overcorrection in eye exams can lead to unnecessary strain. Prescription glasses can have side effects similar to medication. Understanding your prescription is key to managing eye health. Children may need guidance to adapt to new prescriptions. Chronic eye issues may improve with reduced prescriptions. Awareness of eye habits is crucial for better vision. Sound Bites “Any prescription that you wear is like a drug.” Chapters 00:00 Understanding Myopia and Reduced Prescriptions 02:56 The Impact of Eye Strain and Muscle Tension 04:54 Adjusting to New Prescriptions and Habits Hey everybody, it’s Dr. Sam and I’d like to welcome you to the podcast. So I received a question from a mom who I’m working with her son who’s got nearsightedness. This is a very interesting question. So I gave him a prescription that reduces his myopia and she said that he’s having a hard time adjusting to the prescription that is creating eye strain and his eye muscles hurt and she wants to know Sam Berne (00:30.71) what she can do to tell him to get used to the prescription. Well, it’s interesting because when you’re presented with a reduced prescription, your eyes should relax. Basically, any reduced prescription is saying, can I let go with my muscles and can I release and relax? Sam Berne (00:56.694) Now in this particular case, there’s two possible scenarios going on. The first is that and this is very common with people that start wearing reduced prescriptions. They start feeling their eye muscles more and they start feeling this area. Whereas before it was very a very unrealized area, meaning they had no awareness of it. And so when you wear something that’s less tight, Sam Berne (01:26.402) Guess what happens all of that tightness that you’ve absorbed over years of the strong prescription. You feel that so it’s showing you what’s already there. It’s not causing it, but the relaxation potential is showing you the tension that you’ve been carrying for a long time. The second part of this is Sam Berne (01:54.921) It’s not the prescription that’s causing the eye tension. It’s the attitude and habits that we bring to the prescription that creates the eye tension. So this means that we’re so used to having it clear that when we’re given a softer prescription and it’s a little on the soft blurry side, we immediately want to get rid of it by squinting and straining. Sam Berne (02:23.595) So we’re back to our old habits again. Sam Berne (02:28.321) Yeah, exactly. So the reduced prescription is going to confront the habit of you wanting to squint and strain and muscle it. So what I told the mother is just invite the child to wear this reduced prescription at near at the 14 inches, maybe maybe 20 inches at the most. But don’t try to wear it in the distance for now. Sam Berne (02:56.171) I mean the prescription was prescribed for near vision to begin with and it can be a big jump and kind of disorienting if you get this reduced prescription and you have the expectation that it should be clear in the distance. Now what will happen over time is that if you get used to the reduced prescription you’ll notice that your distance acuity improves and you know, you’re there when Sam Berne (03:25.633) You then put on the strong prescription and you start getting a headache. You start feeling the eye ache and you go, wow, this is what I used to wear all the time. And now I’m aware that it’s too tight for me. It’s too strong for me. And you know, I have to say that in my years of practice, I would reduce so many prescriptions during the exam. Sam Berne (03:54.741) And people actually saw more clearly because the way the eye exam is done. Sam Berne (04:01.015) You’re going to overcorrect people. You’re going to make the lens too strong. And you know, this really speaks to some of the adults that have chronic things like flashing lights or posterior vitreous detachment or even some, you know, retinal lattice degeneration all those retina problems. If you are nearsighted your prescription is too strong for you. And if you start wearing something less the retina Sam Berne (04:30.959) the flashing lights start to reduce and eventually go away so you don’t have that traction. So it’s very interesting to note that you know any prescription that you wear is like a drug. The prescription, eyeglasses and contacts have been approved by the FDA and they’re side effects. Sam Berne (04:54.329) And for nearsightedness, especially if you’re wearing something too strong, you’re going to pay the price and that price is going to be tension, compression, muscle pain, eye strain, eye fatigue and on and on. So I really appreciate the question and I hope that’s helpful. So that’s it for today. That’s my show. I want to thank you for tuning in until next time. Take care.…
Keywords holistic eye care, vision improvement, eye health tips, behavioral optometry, Sam Berne, eye exercises, nutrition for eyes, blue light protection, workshops, private sessions summary In this engaging conversation, Dr. Sam Berne shares his insights on holistic eye care, emphasizing the importance of daily habits for maintaining eye health. He discusses the impact of nutrition, sunlight, and eye exercises, while also highlighting his workshops and private sessions aimed at personalized care. The discussion also touches on the effects of screen time on vision and the significance of blue light protection. takeaways • Dr. Sam Berne is a behavioral optometrist with a holistic approach. • Morning sunlight is crucial for resetting circadian rhythms. • A diet rich in colorful vegetables supports eye health. • Eye exercises can enhance circulation and oxygenation in the eyes. • Light is essential for overall health and energy fields. • Social media has expanded Dr. Berne’s reach to a global audience. • Workshops are tailored to individual goals and health needs. • Private sessions focus on treating the root causes of vision problems. • Blue light from screens can negatively affect eye health. • The Palm Hum exercise is beneficial for relaxation and eye care Sound Bites • “Get some morning sunlight.” • “Light is a food, don’t be afraid of it.” • “Blue light can dry your eyes out.” • “It’s the Palm Hum by Dr. Sam.” Chapters 00:00Introduction and Welcome Back to Kauai 01:59Understanding Holistic Eye Care 04:59Daily Habits for Eye Health 08:57Exploring Sam’s Books and Workshops 11:55Private Sessions and Personalized Care 16:00The Impact of Screens on Eye Health Here for my interview on KKCR, Public Radio Kauai. I was here about a year and a half ago and back again with my friend Tracy Shavarone, who’s gonna have me on and interview me. So stay tuned. to Dr. Sam Berne. Aloha Sam. Aloha. So nice to see you in person. I know we’re face to face. We’re face to face. Eye to eye. Welcome back to Kauai. Yeah, feels great to be here. We just had 15 inches of snow in Santa Fe so nice to be in the tropics. Isn’t that kind of unusual to have that much snow this early? Well it used to be with climate change you know we’re getting that much snow but back in the 90s yeah we used to get that kind of snow end of October beginning in November what a blessing you know it lowers the fire risk and Anyway, it’s great to be here in the humidity. was mentioning I was in New Mexico in October and it was very, very dry. I definitely had to put lotion on my skin. It is a high desert environment. I have to warn people about that. It was so beautiful. Mexico is just spectacular. It really is the land of enchantment. really is and so much space there, open land, great hiking, nature, Chaco Canyon and all those magical places. Sam Berne (01:34.765) Well, and of course, kawaii has its own magic, which brings you back. I know it’s like a magnet that keeps bringing me back. So for those of you who have never met Dr. Sam Byrne, I’m going to have him like introduce himself. But he’s the author of many books and he is a holistic, I would say a holistic eye doctor. I don’t know if that’s what you would consider yourself, but. Yes, well I’m a behavioral optometrist, doctor of optometry, but I have studied many different healing modalities and my mission is to help people regain their eyesight if it’s deteriorating, improve their vision as they get older, work with kids with learning problems and the spectrum disorders, autism, the ADD, there’s a very big vision component. to it, traumatic brain injury, people that want to reduce their prescriptions. So I’ve devoted my career, you know, it’s four decades, and still going strong, helping people with their health and their vision. But you do use it well, except your holistic approaches. Yeah, well, know, when listeners, you go to the eye doctor and they give you a stronger prescription and they tell you how you have a disease and you’re going to lose your sight or drug surgery and needles. That’s the, the standard care. So just learning things like functional medicine, what do you eat to preserve your eyes? How does the sun affect your eyes? What about being on computers? You know, so there’s a lot of things that you can do to take better care of this major modality that we relate to the world with. And usually I get people where they’ve gone to the doctor and it’s, my goodness, I’m going to lose my sight or I have to get surgery. And that’s where I come in and I can… Sam Berne (03:34.797) do some interventions to help them. for people listening right now, what are some of the daily habits people can incorporate to keep their eyes as healthy as possible or even improve their eye health? Well, to keep it simple, there three main things. Number one, get some morning sunlight. The research backs that up, that when you get morning sunlight, it actually resets your circadian rhythm and it puts you into a better mood and it’s great for your eyesight and vision. Number two, eat a diet that involves the rainbow of vegetables and if we think about the red, orange, yellow, green vegetables, those feed the retina, the macula and the cornea. And so if you eat a healthy diet, low processed or no processed foods, and reduce or eliminate sugar, you have a great chance to preserve your eyesight. And number three, eye exercises work really well to improve the circulation and oxygenation in the eyes. One of my famous ones is called the palm hum exercise. That’s where you rub your hands together for a few seconds you cup your hands over your eyes and you breathe in through your nose and on the exhale you make a humming sound and you do about six or eight of those after a day on the computer and that will improve your circulation, oxygenation, lubricate your eyes and balance your nervous system. So those are three simple things that you can do to preserve your vision. And those are all totally doable. And I love the rainbow vegetables because for me I like to have a lot of colors in my food because I feel like I’m also nourishing my chakras when I eat all those colors on that more esoteric level. Yeah, well, there’s a camera that I use called a GDV camera. This measures energy fields, chakras, and acupuncture meridians. And we did research on how the chakras were impacted when we fed people Sam Berne (05:54.761) color therapy through their eyes. And we found that when they looked at different colors, overall their chakras got more balanced and more lined up and larger. So the eyes are the organ of light that transports that light throughout the entire body. Light is a food, don’t be afraid of it. And yeah, it affects our energy fields and our… our meridians and so yeah very much so. If you just tuned in I’ll speak with Dr. Sam Byrne and so Sam I’d love for you to give out your website and like any other information if you want to give out your phone number how long will you be here on Kauai? I’ll be here through next Wednesday and we have a workshop scheduled this Saturday. The registration closes tomorrow morning. So you can call me 505-9200-317. I’m also doing some private sessions. So if you want some one-on-one time, give me a call. My website is drsamberne.com. I’m also very active on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. So you can type my name in and I have thousands of free videos. a membership so if you want to go deeper with me you can do that. Lots of ways to learn about what I’m doing. you mentioned like I think every social media out there so I’m just curious what how has social media changed your ability to assist people in their lives? Well, it helps me connect to people that probably would have never heard from me or about me. And I have a international following. So people say in Germany or Australia, you know, they get to see my content and it gives them another opportunity to, you know, to help themselves. My mission is to educate and I give away my content for free. I also have a podcast. Sam Berne (08:06.933) the burn podcast and so with all of those different channels I’m able to reach people video, audio, written and it’s really been a great service to be able to connect with people on so many levels from many different locations. So once again, if you just tuned in, I’m speaking with Dr. Sam Byrne. And now I know you have authored quite a few books, and do you want to just mention some of those? Because I know you were here, was it last year, or was it this year when you were here for your latest book? It was last April, and it was a book called Vital Vision, and that’s my newest book that’s been out about a year. You can get that on Amazon, both ebook and also written. I’ve written, my first book was called Creating Your personal vision. I wrote that in 1994. I did a new edition about two, three years ago that has eye exercises in it. I also wrote a book about nutrition called Taking It In and how foods affect our vision and our brain. And then I wrote a book called I Sense, How to Play in the Field of Healing, where I talk about energy, medicine, and my research swimming with the wild dolphins on the Big Island and how that impacted people’s energy fields and chakras and did that. Our last trip was 2020 before COVID. So there’s books on my website. You just go to DrSamBurn.com and you can order them if you want. So now the workshop, the workshop on Saturday, we want to talk a little bit about what that format will be. Well, you know, people bring their individual situations to the table. And so we’re going to figure out what each person’s goals and objectives are. And then we’ll tailor the workshop to how it’s going to help people. And it could be through somatic movement. It could be through color therapy, vision, physical therapy, exercises. I also do something called iridology that’s being able to read the iris. You take a picture of the iris. Sam Berne (10:19.735) the colored part of the eye and that maps to the body so you can see what your liver health is, gallbladder, pancreas, thyroid, get to see genetic tendencies, things that maybe were in your family and nurture points. What are things that you can do to nurture your systemic health that not only improves your vision but can improve your health and wellness also. And once again, how can someone register for that? Just give me a call 505-920-0317 and we can do the registration process on the phone. Also, if you want to do a session, we can book one. I am licensed to practice optometry in Hawaii, which is an advantage. So if you need prescriptions or anything like that, I can certainly address those needs for you. And your website again? www.drsamburn.com. B-E-R-N-E. Check it out, there’s a lot of great stuff on there. Yeah, if you want to interact, just send me an email and we can talk. So you’re offering private sessions. now, I mean, know, of course, you customize those to what the people’s issues are. But is there anything in particular, things that you are always sort of working with with people? What does the private session entail? mean, do you do it, do you take an iridology picture? mean, what does that entail? Well, you know, people have problems. so listening is very important and meeting people where they are around, know, what are their symptoms? And of course we want to treat the cause, not the symptoms. So it could be anything from, for example, somebody’s prescription is too strong that they’re wearing and it gives them a headache. So how to reduce it but still allow them to see clearly, maybe giving them some eye relaxation exercises if they work on screens a lot. Sam Berne (12:25.465) or let’s say you’ve been diagnosed with cataracts or glaucoma or macular degeneration or dry eye, something that you’re tired of using pharmaceuticals or you’re facing surgery, then there could be some nutritional, herbal, aromatherapy, functional medicine things that could turn things around. One of the new research studies that’s coming out is on something called photobiomodulation. This is using red light on the eyes to increase the mitochondria function. And when you increase the mitochondria function, you reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. So there’s a way that I’ve developed red light therapy for the eyes that’s not too bright, and it allows a reversal of certain eye conditions. So Glenn Jeffries was an ophthalmologist in the UK who did a study on red light therapy and macular degeneration. You could Google that. So there’s lots of different techniques with the overall intention is to help people move out of the danger zone if things are deteriorating. Sam Berne (13:48.813) private sessions with individuals if you’re interested. He can be reached at 505-920-0317. Once again, that’s 505-920-0317 and he will be here through next Wednesday, or? Yes, that’s correct. And is there any particular area of the island where you are seeing patients just so people know? In the Princeville area. But if you contact me, I can give you directions. And it’s a nice, comfortable house. So it’s great. Just want to let people know, you’re visiting from the west side, it’s on the North Shore. Sure. We’re on the North Shore. Yeah, exactly. again your website? DrSamBurn.com. And do you have your own YouTube channel? I do DrSamBurn you can go on that we post our video podcasts we do YouTube shorts long long material so we have tons of free videos on YouTube if you want to go there just type in my name and Watch away. Watch away. So now you said you also have a podcast. where is that? Well, I do both an audio through Apple iTunes and Spotify and all the major sites. So that’s audio. Some people like to walk their dog and listen or they’re commuting in the city. And then we do a video version which we post on YouTube. So yeah, there’s a lot of different ways to reach that podcast. It’s called the burn podcast. And I’ve done hundreds of shows on a variety of different subjects. Sam Berne (16:00.783) from Port Allen tomorrow and interact. Hopefully maybe we’ll see some whales and turtles and dolphins. And then actually I brought my golf clubs so I’m going to be playing some golf and get a little morning sunlight and then probably do some hiking. it’s already been great so far. So let’s get back to eyes though. So you mentioned something about the screens, we’re on screens a lot. I know for my glasses I have one of those, what is it, that like blue thing that supposedly helps your eyes when you’re using screens, I forget what it’s called. Yeah, it’s called a blue protection lens or a blue filter or something, you know, depends on the company. So basically what’s coming off screens these days is chaotic blue light. And over time, this blue light can dry your eyes out, can create inflammation and eye strain, dryness. So the blue light is definitely, in some circles they’ll say it’s actually even like a neurotoxin. So by doing blue protection on the lenses, you can actually get a screen protector as well on your phone or your tablet or your computer. It’s really important to take frequent breaks on the computer and after 6 p.m. when you’re on the screens, the blue light tricks the pineal gland to reduce melatonin, which is our sleep hormone. So it’s a little more difficult to go to sleep if you’re on your screens before bed. I would stop using your digital one hour before you go to sleep, allow yourself to get away from all that chaotic screen time. do those things and then get out in the natural sunlight, look out into the distance, you know, then you have a good chance to reduce eye strain and dryness. so there three main things just to keep it simple. Number one, get morning natural sunlight about 30 minutes a day, studies of Sam Berne (18:22.707) that when you get that morning sunlight it resets your circadian rhythm and puts you in a better mood so your serotonin dopamine levels in the brain start start firing and it also improves your eyesight. Number two Eliminate processed foods, eat a rainbow diet of vegetables. I’d probably add berries. That’s a really great food for night vision. So the red, orange, yellow, green vegetables are really, really important and that feeds the macula and the retina. And then number three, my exercise called the palm hum. You could Google it and you can watch a demo. Basically you rub your hands together for a few seconds, palm your eyes. You’re breathing in through the nose on the exhale. you do a hum and you do about six humps and that’s going to bring more oxygenation, circulation and relaxation to your eyes and your nervous system. If do those things, you’re going to preserve your eyesight. Well, I love all three of those and they’re so doable. And just thinking about that, know, palming your eyes and humming, because I know, you know, there’s, of course, there’s all, you know, sound therapy and stuff, but when I think of humming, it’s sort of like your whole body kind of vibrates. it seems like, you know, would just help with your parasympathetic nervous system. You know, in so many ways it could be beneficial. Parasympathetic nervous system, nitric oxide, which is an ingredient as a natural vasodilator. And your hands are like tuning forks. So when you’re humming and you get that vibration, that sound is going into the compressed tissue of the eyes. Sound is one of the best ways to release compressed tissue, whether you’re basically doing your own sound bath. I like that. I love sound baths too. they’re great. loved by other people as well. So this is more of a self-produced sound bath that you can direct and regulate which is wonderful. And it’s the Palm Hum by Dr. Sam It’s the Palm Hum, yes. So Dr. Sam Byrne, thank you so much. Once again I’d love for you to give out your website and your phone number. Sure, website drsambyrne.com and my number is 505-920-0317. Sam Berne (20:39.56) Dr. Byrne is on island through next Wednesday. He is seeing private clients, having private sessions as well as offering a one-day workshop this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and all that information is on website? Is that on your Facebook page too? yeah, so it’s a lot of different places, but you can just give me a call and we can talk about it. So Tracy, thank you so much for having me on and best wishes to you. Well thank you Sam, it’s so good to see you again and I know I’ll see you in the course of the week. So, Aloha!…
Keywords binasal tapes, vision therapy, eye health, neuroplasticity, peripheral vision, double vision, lazy eye, visual coordination, stress relief, alternative therapies Summary In this conversation, Dr. Sam Berne discusses the concept and application of binasal tapes, a technique used in vision therapy. He shares his experiences and the origins of this method, highlighting its benefits for various visual issues such as double vision and lazy eye. The discussion emphasizes the importance of peripheral vision and how binaural tapes can help in enhancing visual coordination and relaxation, especially under stress. Takeaways • Binasal tapes are used to enhance peripheral vision. • The technique was taught to Dr. Sam by Dr. Ellis Edelman. • Binasal tapes can help with double vision and lazy eye. • The eyes are connected to the brain’s mapping through visual input. • Using these tapes can lead to profound visual relaxation. • Stress affects vision and can lead to tunneling of sight. • Binasal tapes provide a reference point for better vision. • The technique is beneficial for patients with TBI. • Neuroplasticity plays a role in how we perceive vision. • The method is a gentle nudge to engage peripheral vision. Sound Bites • “These tapes help you in that process.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Binasal Tapes 02:48 The Technique and Its Origins 06:12 Applications and Benefits of Binasal Tapes Sam Berne (00:02.222) Hey everybody, welcome to the program today. I’m on my morning walk here in the forest and I thought I’d bring you along. I received a question from a listener on what are binasal tapes and how do they work? So think about a pair of glasses and on the inside part of the glasses like on the we call it the nasal part or the nose part. We actually apply about one inch of tape on either side of the lenses. So you’ve got it on your right and the left and you have this tape in the middle. So it’s by the nose, it’s by the nasal, it’s by the sinus. We call these bi-nasal tapes. What are these and how do they work? Well, I have to rewind and I want to give many of my mentors kudos for sharing this with me. One of my former partners, Dr. Ellis Edelman. I was in practice with him for five years in Newtown square, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. And when I started working with Dr. Edelman, I had just graduated the gazelle Institute and Dr. Edelman was a graduate of the Gazelle Institute, except he had graduated about 40 years before I did. So he had a lot of experience and I thought this would be a good place to apprentice. so I began my practice in his office. I started renting space from him and it’s kind of hard to get patients. took a while. We were in a very conservative area of the main line of Philadelphia. Sam Berne (01:51.598) And people were not open at that time to alternative therapies. This was in the mid 1980s, but I hung out, hung in there with it and slowly and surely I began to attract my practice, my patients, and I built it up quite successfully, which I sold at the end of 1989 and moved out here to New Mexico. in 1990 and started a practice in 1992. Just to give you some orientation. One of the techniques that dr. Edelman taught me was how to work with people either who over focused or tunneled their vision. And you know, when you tunnel your vision, you exclude your peripheral vision. One of that has to do with myopia. where you just tighten up your vision and you you narrow it. So that would be one place where you might want to say, okay, how can we enhance your peripheral vision? Another application that we would see is double vision. So with the two eyes weren’t working together how to work with this and then of course the third situation would be if somebody had a crossed eye or a even a wandering eye or they had lazy eye. So one I saw more clearly than the other. So he showed me this technique where you put black tape on the inside part of both lenses. And what it did immediately for most people is that gave them a reference point on where they needed to look and where they needed to look is where they weren’t looking. Meaning that when you put something right in front of your eyes like this, you start opening up your peripheral vision. And if you want to reduce double vision, the way to do that is to enhance your peripheral vision on both sides. You know, the bigger the visual field, the more chance you have for the two eyes to overlap, especially if they’re separating. Sam Berne (04:13.9) And so these binasal tapes would get in the way of people’s habits of either tunneling crossing wandering double vision and it also would help wake up the eye that maybe wasn’t seeing as well. we do testing in the area of what we call visual coordination how well the two eyes work together and by putting these tapes on the inside part of the glasses. First of all, you would feel a lot of eye relaxation and relief and second of all, it would get your two eyes to start to work together with the brain. So by wearing it over time because of the neuroplasticity capability in the visual system. Remember the eyes are the only part of the brain that sit outside the cranial vault. And what you’re doing is you’re creating a new mapping in the brain by changing how the eyes are inputting the information. So these binasal tapes became a tool in my toolbox. And to this day, if somebody has double vision or a lazy eye or you know, they’re just tunneling their vision and they’re under a lot of stress. We use scotch tape. Now. We don’t use the the black electrical tape. So it kind of gives them the idea that okay, I need to use my peripheral a little more. And it’s it’s quite a winner of an effective treatment that over a few weeks you can remove the tapes and your vision goes back to homeostasis. It goes back to normal where the double vision reduces in some cases even goes away and you have this really profound visual relaxation because the name of the game is opening up your peripheral vision. And when you’re under stress, we say the sympathetic nervous system is overworking. You’re either traumatized. You’re in a fight flight freeze response. The eyes reflect what’s going on in your nervous system and your emotions your psychological reactions. And so the binaural tapes give you a gentle nudge to say, a minute. 90 % of my vision is in the periphery, which I’m not using. Sam Berne (06:41.866) What if what if I start engaging that so these tapes help you in that process. So I want to give a special thank you to Dr. Edelman. He’s not alive anymore. lot of the older behavioral developmental optometrists use that technique. I also used it in the hospitals with people with TBI who had double vision instead of trying to correct them with prisms. We use the binasal tapes and that kind of helped give them the necessary stability to start to use their vision with their brain in a better way. Book Mark this subject. All right. That’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for coming along on this trip until next time everyone. See ya.…
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