DrSamBerne

In 2011, I received many calls and e-mails from people who had just been to an eye doctor and received the diagnosis: “you have cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration.” Usually the diagnosis is followed by the treatment plan of let’s do a surgical procedure or even worse, they may report that there is nothing that can be done to save your vision.

Being in the eye care field for over 25 years, I have developed and researched many proven methods to reverse these and other vision conditions. In general, the eyes collect a great deal of free radicals in the tissues. Without proper lymphatic circulation, many eye tissues begin to age faster when the detoxification pathways are not working efficiently. Although, there is no cookbook approach, several research studies point to the fact that using highly absorbable supplements (without the toxic fillers found in most vitamins) can be beneficial in reversing many eye conditions.

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During a recent radio interview, the host asked me to briefly define Behavioral Optometry.  My response was: “Behavioral Optometry is a wonderful, drug-free approach that treats the causative factors of vision problems and not just symptoms.  Vision therapy helps the eyes, brain, and body communicate in a more integrated fashion.  This eye-brain connection is possible, because the retina is the only tissue in the body that originates from the brain during the embryonic stage of development.  When we work with vision, we are really improving brain function.”

Many callers to the show asked about the relationship between vision problems and the autism to A.D.D. spectrum of disorders.  One parent, whose son had undergone strabismus surgery (eye muscle surgery to fix a crossed eye) and been also diagnosed with ADHD, reported that she had been thrilled to discover vision therapy to help her child learn to use the two eyes together.

Strabismus surgery had offered a somewhat cosmetic cure, but it was vision therapy that created a functional cure.  After the surgery, she was told her son had “stereo blindness.”  With vision therapy, his attention was much improved and his impulsivity was reduced about 90%.  His stereo blindness was gone, and he was using both of his eyes together.

Next month, at the International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM) Conference in Colorado, the theme is “Light, Vision and Consciousness.”  One question I am asked often is whether light is good for the eyes.  Since the retina is like a satellite dish and is comprised of photoreceptors whose function is to capture the light, I would answer, “Yes!” And, different colors can improve the retinal function.  Generally, red acts as a stimulant, green is balancing, and blue is relaxing.  Different protocols are used to help improve vision based on the problems that are presented.  Here is a bit of homework for you:  Next time you are aware of yourself “seeing,” let the light catch your eye and notice how effortless that feels.

I have just completed a new edition of my book:  Creating Your Personal Vision:  A Mind – Body Guide for Better Eyesight.  You can order both a hard copy or download it from my website.

The Science of Ayurveda says that the diet influences the mind.  Since ninety percent of how we see originates in the mind, when our mind chatters, we cannot see clearly.

The eyes and brain make up 2% of the body weight and use 25% of the food intake.  Since the liver is the major organ that affects how we see, it is not surprising that our nutrition and biochemistry strongly affect our vision.  There are many nutritional components that support how we see.

Below is a brief list of certain vitamins and minerals that affect different tissues of the eye.

Zinc, Vitamin A, Cysteine, Lutein and Taurine are important for a healthy retina.  The retina is comprised of photoreceptors which help us receive light.

Vitamin C, E, and Vitamin B2 are important for a healthy lens.  The lens is important in our ability to transmit the light through the eyes.  The lens also helps us focus at different distances.  In early stages of cataracts, specific homeopathic eye drops can dissolve cataracts.

Omega 3, 6, 9 fish oil is important for a healthy cornea and proper tear production.  The cornea is the outer window of the eye and our first visual contact with the world.  Poor tear production can be caused by not having enough oils in our body or by suffering from adrenal burnout.

Chromium is important for a healthy vitreous (the gel-like part of the eye).  Chromium regulates our simple carbohydrate metabolism.  Low chromium can contribute to an increase in nearsightedness.

Magnesium is important for healthy eye muscles which helps the aqueous humor regulate the fluid flow from the inner part of the eye.

Essential oils are also very effective in supporting our vision.  Each essence has many attributes for healing the body.  If you would like more information on essential oils, please contact me.

Many people have been asking me about my unique approach to improving physical vision.  I would say that the key is that the clearer we can see inside ourselves using inner vision, the clearer our physical vision will become.  The conventional model says let’s fix the defective eyeball by prescribing a lens to correct the blur.  This approach only freezes the visual pattern.  I believe what we need to do is explore the programming behind the eyes and become aware of the patterning in the brain, body, and energy fields that caused the “defective eyeball” in the first place.

The new medicine of vision involves using a homeopathic lens to help balance clarity with blur.  Applying the mind-body process called Vision Therapy helps us become aware of old attitudes, belief systems, and limited perceptions that created the eyeball problem.  Any eye prescription is really a history on how we have reacted and responded to life situations through our vision.  If we know the story, then we can begin to dissolve the deeper patterns that have caused our vision to let us down.

Many of our responses to life reside in our pre-verbal state, which is why I invite people to explore primitive reflex integration movements that help release reptilian brain patterns.  When our reptilian brain is dominant, we may respond to life in a hyper-vigilant state, and we may apply this state to our eyes.  Some common adaptations that may be a response to this vigilant state include myopia (turning inward away from life), hyperopia (pushing life away to avoid the present), and Astigmatism (twisting our body and perceptions because of our confusion).

Even if we don’t have overt eye adaptations, vision therapy can help us become aware of the perceptual filters we project onto the world.  When we become aware of our projections, we can then be in choice about dissolving these filters so we can see with fresh eyes, moment by moment.

Another way to understand our vision is by looking at our energy.  When I measure people’s energy fields and chakras, we can discover together how these energetic patterns impact our visual system.  Many of these patterns uncover subconscious or unconscious beliefs, attitudes, and health situations that can be improved.  Simply seeing these energetic patterns may validate our life experience, creating a healing by itself.

Recently, while teaching at The Esalen Institute, I made the following proposal: Instead of looking at life, allow life to look at us, and notice the difference in how our eyes, mind, and body feel.  Try it yourself!

In the recent Ode Magazine, there was an article on the healing qualities of sunlight.  The writer reported how critics of natural sunlight claim that the sun is dangerous and harmful to our health.  I strongly disagree.  Since we are made of light does this mean we have become alienated from ourselves?  Fortunately, there has been a great deal of research reporting the benefits of light.   I have been treating patients with light therapy for twenty-five years and the results speak for themselves.  Light is a food and when we invite the colors into our eyes, the light helps balance our endocrine system, our nervous system and it opens up our peripheral vision.  The more open our peripheral vision, the present we are.  On a biochemical level, natural full spectrum light helps convert Vitamin D into cholesterol in the skin.  Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium in the bones and boosts the immune system.  Natural sunlight also can affect our moods and neutralize SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  I have used light and color therapy to help reverse certain types of eye diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma.  I have also been successful applying light/color therapy to children diagnosed in the Autism Spectrum Disorder Syndrome.

Thanks to Dr. Konstantin Korotkov, a brilliant and innovative  biophysicist from St. Petersburg, Russia, I am using his Electrophotonic Imaging Camera to measure the affects of light/color therapy on the energy fields and chakras.

Exposure to fifteen minutes of natural sunlight everyday is a great preventative measure for wellness!  A safe practice is looking at the sun with your eyes closed before 10 AM and after 4 PM.  Happy fall!!