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The Science of Vision, Eye Health & Seeing Better

Episode 24 Jun 14, 2021 1h 46m 30 insights
This episode I describe how we see, meaning how our eyes focus, convert light information into electricity the rest of the brain can understand and how our brain creates the incredible thing we experience as “sight”. I also describe how we can train and support our visual system to improve at any age. I describe more than a dozen protocols to support depth perception, offset near-sightedness, improve mood, sleep, and our ability to focus (both visual focus and our mental focus generally). I also explain how to use eyesight to improve our levels of alertness and why visual hallucinations, lazy eyes and colorblindness occur. I also describe various compounds that may assist in supporting visual health and possibly improve our vision. Many simple, zero-cost protocols and a lot of scientific mechanisms are covered in this episode in clear language anyone can understand-- it is for anyone that values their brain and whether eyesight, young, adult-age or advanced age. Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.
Actionable Insights

1. Daily Morning & Evening Light

View sunlight (even through cloud cover) for 2-10 minutes in the early morning and again in the evening to optimize sleep, mood, hormones, metabolism, pain threshold, learning, and memory.

2. Sleep in Complete Darkness

Sleep in a completely dark room (especially for children) to reduce the risk of myopia and avoid bright light exposure between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. to prevent dopamine suppression and negative impacts on mood, learning, and immunity.

3. Two Hours Outdoor Time

Spend at least two hours outdoors daily without sunglasses (even with cloud cover) to significantly reduce the probability of developing myopia (nearsightedness) by promoting eye health.

4. Regular Eye Relaxation Breaks

Every 30 minutes of focused work, relax eye and face muscles and shift to panoramic vision. Every 90 minutes of close-up work, take 20-30 minutes of non-up-close vision (ideally outdoors looking at the horizon) to maintain eye health and prevent strain.

5. Proactive Vision Support

Train and support your eyesight, especially if young, to bolster your visual system and prevent vision loss with aging.

6. Regular Horizon Viewing

Regularly view distant horizons (beyond 20 feet, ideally further) to relax eye muscles, maintain lens elasticity, and reduce stress.

7. Elevate Computer Screen

Position computer screens at or slightly above eye level to promote wakefulness and alertness during work.

8. Look Up for Alertness

When feeling tired, look up towards the ceiling and hold for 10-15 seconds to trigger wakefulness and alertness systems in the brain.

9. Practice Smooth Pursuit

Practice smooth pursuit eye exercises (e.g., tracking a moving ball or target) for 5-10 minutes, three times a week, to maintain conditioned extraocular muscles and improve motion tracking.

10. Perform Near-Far Eye Exercises

Perform near-far accommodation exercises for 2-5 minutes every other day by focusing on an object up close, then at arm’s length, and slowly moving it in and out to train eye muscles and lens elasticity.

11. Develop Strong Binocular Vision

Young individuals should strive for strong binocular vision by engaging in both near and distant viewing, not just close-up screen time.

12. Address Eye Imbalances Early

Address strong visual imbalances between eyes (e.g., strabismus, amblyopia) as early as possible by consulting a neuro-ophthalmologist.

13. Consult Eye Specialist

Consult a good ophthalmologist (medical doctor) or optometrist for severe eye problems or to proactively address vision concerns.

14. Professional Vision Testing

Ensure vision tests are performed by a qualified professional (ophthalmologist or good optometrist) to avoid incorrect prescriptions that could weaken the visual system.

15. Monitor Vision with Snellen Chart

Place a Snellen chart at home to regularly practice and monitor your visual acuity from a set distance.

16. Red Light for Macular Health

For individuals 40+, consider flashing red light into each eye for two minutes daily before noon to potentially offset age-related macular degeneration by enhancing mitochondrial function in photoreceptors (consult a professional first).

17. Slow Blinking for Lubrication

Perform slow blinking exercises for 5-15 seconds to lubricate the eyes and maintain clear optics, especially if experiencing dry eye.

18. Balance Dominant Eye

To balance vision, cover the dominant eye for a period each day to encourage the non-dominant eye to work harder, but exercise caution, especially with children.

19. Prioritize Training Goals

For concurrent training, emphasize your primary goal (endurance or strength/hypertrophy) for a 10-12 week cycle, using a 3:2 or 4:2 ratio of primary to secondary workouts per week.

20. Incorporate Rest & Deload

Incorporate at least one complete rest day per week, and take 5-7 days completely off after a 10-12 week training cycle to prevent injury and ensure progress.

21. Incremental Training Progression

Begin with the minimum number of sets for a new training protocol (e.g., 2-3 sets) and incrementally add sets each week to progress safely.

22. Engage in Optic Flow

Engage in self-generated optic flow activities (e.g., walking, biking) to benefit the visual system and mood-regulating brain systems.

23. Cardiovascular Health for Vision

Maintain a healthy cardiovascular system through regular endurance and strength training to indirectly support eye and brain health by ensuring adequate blood flow and nutrients.

24. Consume Vitamin A-Rich Foods

Consume raw or near-raw dark leafy vegetables and carrots (rich in Vitamin A) to support vision.

25. Daily Nutritional Support

Consider taking an all-in-one vitamin-mineral probiotic drink once or twice a day to cover basic nutritional needs, address deficiencies, and support microbiome health.

26. Morning & Exercise Electrolytes

Drink one packet of electrolyte mix in 16-32 oz of water first thing in the morning and during physical exercise for proper hydration and electrolyte balance.

27. Utilize Meditation App

Use a meditation app that offers various durations and types of meditation, mindfulness, yoga nidra, or NSDR sessions to restore cognitive and physical energy.

28. Lutein for Macular Degeneration

If experiencing moderate to severe age-related macular degeneration, consult a physician about supplementing with lutein to potentially offset vision loss.

29. Zeaxanthin & Astaxanthin for Aging Eyes

Consider supplementing with Zeaxanthin and Astaxanthin to potentially offset age-related vision disruption and increase ocular blood flow, after consulting a professional.

30. Idebenone for Optic Neuropathies

For Leber’s congenital eye disease or optic neuropathies, research Idebenone on examine.com and consult a physician about its potential benefits.