In an age dominated by screens, constant notifications, shrinking attention spans, and chronic fatigue, most people assume they're simply “tired” or “busy.” But according to Dr. Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett’s podcast with funcional vision expert Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, the real issue may not be in your mind — it's in your vision.

Not your eyesight…
Not whether you need new glasses…
But the way your brain is processing what your eyes take in.

This podcast is a game-changer for anyone who works on a computer, has kids struggling in school, suffers from headaches, or wants peak mental and physical performance. Let’s break down the biggest insights from the interview so you can improve your energy, clarity, focus, and quality of life — often with small daily habits. 👇

Most of us think “vision” is simply how clearly we can see. They stressed that eyesight and vision are two completely different systems:

• Eyesight = how clear the image is (glasses fix this)
  

• Vision = how your brain takes in, organizes, and interprets that information
  

Vision is a brain skill, not an eye skill — and it can improve dramatically with training.

This explains why someone can have “20/20 eyesight” yet:

• get headaches while reading

• feel overloaded in a grocery store

• avoid reading physical books

• lose focus instantly on Zoom

• struggle with balance or coordination

The issue isn’t the eyes — it’s the wiring between the eyes and brain.

2. 📱 Screens Are Creating a Vision Crisis

The numbers are staggering:

• The average adult spends 7+ hours per day on screens

• The average child spends 6 hours a day on digital device

This creates what Applebaum calls a “new pandemic”:
👀 tired eyes
😵‍💫 mental fatigue
🤯 sensory overload
📉 reduced productivity
📚 trouble reading physical books
🌪️ attention fragmentation

Screens lock us into tunnel vision, a survival-mode state where the brain narrows its focus and shuts off the peripheral visual field. This raises stress and reduces the brain’s ability to stay calm, balanced, and attentive.

The result?
Many of us mistakenly believe we're burnt out, anxious, or “bad at focusing,” when our visual system is simply overwhelmed.

3. 🧠 When Vision Problems Look Like ADHD or Dyslexia

One of the most important insights is how functional vision problems mimic behavioral disorders — especially in kids.

For example:

Many parents never hear their kids say “the words look blurry” — because children assume that’s normal.

Dr. Starrett believed vision should be evaluated before diagnosing ADHD or dyslexia, because vision is often the hidden root cause.

4. 👓 Reading Glasses Aren’t Inevitable — Vision CAN Improve

A huge revelation:
You can train your focusing system just like you train your muscles

Age-related difficulty reading (presbyopia) isn’t always irreversible. They explained that the lens and focusing muscles stiffen over time — but training can restore flexibility, stamina, and clarity.

He’s seen thousands of adults reduce or delay reading-glass use through consistent visual exercises.

This is where the power of neuroplasticity shines.
Your brain can rewire at any age — even into your 90s.

5. 🧩 The Three Daily “Vision Workouts” You Should Start Today

These exercises take less than 2 minutes each and can be done anywhere — at stoplights, in the bathroom, while waiting for your coffee — making them incredibly easy to fit into busy lives.

A) Eye Push-Ups 👆 (Focusing Strength)

• Cover one eye

• Bring your thumb close until it gets blurry

• Try to make it clear

• Hold 5 seconds

• Look far away 5 seconds

• Repeat

This builds the “inside muscles” for clarity and reduces strain during reading and screen use.

B) Eye Pull-Ups 👇 (Eye Teaming & Depth Perception)

• With both eyes open, bring your finger toward your nose

• Stop when it becomes blurry or double

• Try to make it clear and single

• Repeat from multiple angles

This improves eye coordination, reduces headaches, and helps words stop “jumping” on the page.

C) Peripheral Pointing 👈👉 (Reopening Your Visual Field)

• Stare at a point straight ahead

• Without moving your eyes, point to objects in your periphery

• Then look to confirm accuracy

This helps unlock “flow state vision” — crucial for athletes, drivers, and anyone who works under stress.

6. ⏱️ The 20–20–20 Rule — The Non-Negotiable Habit

Every 20 minutes,
look at something 20 feet away,
for 20 seconds.

This simple pattern prevents the buildup of visual stress and keeps your brain from “locking up” during long screen sessions.

Applebaum says this may be the most important preventative habit for modern eye health.

7. 🧠 Vision & Concussion Recovery — The Missing Link

A powerful insight:
Every concussion affects vision, because eyes are literally part of the brain.

Common post-concussion symptoms:

• dizziness

• light sensitivity

• blurred or double vision

• nausea during reading

• motion sickness

• brain fog

• difficulty multitasking

These are often untreated visual processing problems.

Applebaum reports massive success using functional vision training for concussion recovery — even decades after the injury.
He’s treated patients in their 90s who developed depth perception for the first time.

This is life-changing for anyone with persistent post-concussion symptoms.

8. ⚽ Vision as a Competitive Superpower

Athletes rely on vision for everything:
reaction time, tracking, depth perception, balance, and decision-making.

Elite performance requires:

• integrated peripheral & central vision

• rapid visual decision-making

• fluid eye movements

• accurate prediction of motion

Vision training elevates all of these — whether you play tennis, soccer, lacrosse, or simply want better reflexes for everyday life.

9. 🌱 Why Vision Is the “Next Microbiome” in Wellness

For decades, gut health was overlooked — then became the epicenter of wellness. Dr. Starrett believes vision is next.

Functional vision affects:

• mental health

• focus & productivity

• learning & reading performance

• emotional regulation

• athleticism

• balance & posture

• sleep quality

• screen resilience

And yet, most people have never had their functional vision assessed.

🔑 FINAL TAKEAWAYS

Your vision is not fixed.

Your brain is adaptable.
And your daily habits shape your clarity, energy, and performance.**

If you:

• struggle with reading

• get headaches

• feel overwhelmed in busy environments

• fatigue quickly on screens

• have a child with attention issues

• are recovering from a concussion

• or want to improve athletic performance

…your vision may be the missing piece.

This isn’t about glasses.
It’s about optimizing how your brain sees your world — and how you show up in it. 👁️✨

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Want deeper dives like this every week? Stay tuned — we’re just getting started.
Until next time, take care of your mind, body, and vision. 👁️🧠💛