Natural Awakenings Twin Cities June 2023

mindful breathing and yoga help the whole body reset and are
low-impact ways to improve circulation.”
Proactively retraining the brain can substantially reduce vision
dysfunction. Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, a pioneer in neuro-optometry,
helps adults and children unlock their highest potential by
remediating visual developmental delays that impact reading and
learning, honing visual skills to elevate sports performance and
reorganizing the “visual brain” after head injuries.
“We need to look at eyesight and vision as separate entities.
While eyesight is the ability to simply see things like letters on a
chart, vision is how your brain derives meaning from the world
around us and directs the appropriate action,” explains the Maryland-based
optometrist.
Through individualized vision therapy, Appelbaum’s patients
learn how to train their eyes, brain and body to work together
more efficiently. “Most functional vision problems are actually
brain problems, and vision therapy teaches you how to use
your eyes to retrain your brain. Through a series of exercises, we
enhance skills like focus, depth perception, 3D awareness, eye
movement control and visualization,” he explains. The first step is
a thorough evaluation, and then, if indicated, personalized treatment
is prescribed with doctor-supervised sessions in the office
that are reinforced with exercises at home.
Appelbaum also helps professional and amateur athletes more
accurately connect to their sport through vision. “From an early
age we’re told to ‘keep your eye on the ball,’ but not taught how to
do that,” Appelbaum asserts. “Sports vision therapy trains athletes
to optimize critical components in their visual processing and
reaction. We work with baseball and basketball players, gymnasts,
skiers, even fencers who learn to coordinate and visualize the optimal
movement in relation to their environment, equipment and
teammates. With repeated exercises and self-correction, athletes
learn to enhance visual reaction time, depth perception, visuospatial
knowledge and hand-eye coordination."
Monitoring screen time is vital to resting overworked eyes. “As
a direct result of excessive screen time, we’re seeing a dramatic increase
of nearsightedness in young children, as well as headaches,
fatigue, eyestrain and motion sensitivity,” Appelbaum says. “I encourage
patients to follow the 20/20/20 rule and take a minimum
of a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something at
least 20 feet away. This allows both the brain and eyes to disengage
from the near visual stress and relax. In general, looking at larger
screens that are further away will also lessen the strain.”
Taking a holistic approach to overall health and wellness will
not only preserve but can also enhance our ability to see. “People
should discuss visual issues and symptoms with their doctor and
seek out functional vision testing, as vision could be the limiting
factor in a number of conditions,” Appelbaum advises. “With
mindful visual training and healthy lifestyle choices, we can maximize
our vision and our life’s potential.”
Carrie Jackson is a Chicago-based freelance writer and frequent
contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at Carrie
JacksonWrites.com.
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