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Rewiring Vision
Bio:
Dr. Sam Berne, OD, BF (Behavioral Optometry)** brings over 40 years of pioneering work at the intersection of vision science, neuroplasticity, and whole-person wellness. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he is both a clinician and thought-leader in holistic and integrative eye care.
Qualifications & Training
* B.S., Pennsylvania State University
* Doctor of Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry
* Post-doctoral fellowship at the Gesell Institute, affiliated with Yale University, focusing on infant/child development. ([Dr. Sam Berne][1])
*Certified in Iridology by Dr. Ellen Jensen
* Licensure in multiple states (including New Mexico and Hawaiʻi), with advanced training in behavioral/neuro-developmental optometry. ([Dr. Sam Berne
Professional Focus
Dr. Berne’s approach goes beyond traditional eye exams. He treats vision as a dynamic system of eye-brain-body interaction, using modalities such as vision therapy, color/light therapy, somatic movement, craniosacral work, and nutritional support.
Career Highlights
* Founded a private practice in Santa Fe that has served children and adults with vision difficulties, learning disorders, traumatic brain injury, and neuro-sensory challenges for over three decades.
* Authored multiple books and educational resources, including *Creating Your Personal Vision* and *Vital Vision*, bridging clinical practice with holistic perspective.
* International presenter and retreat leader in holistic vision, teaching in locations such as Hawaiʻi, Mexico, Europe and Russia.
* Faculty member of the Esalen Institute (Big Sur, CA), leading retreats in whole-health, vision, color therapy and subtle energy.
Signature Programs & Innovations
* **Functional Vision Integrative Body Certification**: a practitioner training program integrating functional vision, somatic movement and holistic eye-brain protocols.
* Holistic retreat offerings (e.g., multi-day vision & transformation retreats) grounded in his belief that vision healing is as much about the nervous system, body processes and energy as it is about lenses.
* A dedicated focus on conditions often underserved in conventional optometry such as cataracts, macular degeneration, post-viral vision dysfunction, and neuro-plastic enhancement of vision.
Mission & Philosophy
Dr. Berne’s mission is to empower people to **see clearer, feel better and live brighter**. He challenges the default model of “prescribe-and-manage” by addressing root causes, leveraging neuroplasticity and designing personalized pathways for vision improvement. He states: “Vision is not only about the eyes—it is the organ of light, tied to how the brain, body and spirit work together.”
Why People Seek Him Out
Individuals come to Dr. Berne when they are ready to:
* Explore alternatives to surgery or stronger prescriptions
* Reconnect vision with systemic health, brain function and lifestyle
* Navigate complex cases (learning-related vision issues, brain injury, progressive ocular conditions) with integrative and functional tools
* Participate in immersive experiences (retreats/workshops) that shift not just their vision but their entire visual system and life patterns
Contact & Offerings
* Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
* Clinic: Holistic Eye Care & Vision Therapy
* Online: Tele-medicine, practitioner training, membership portals and global reach
* Workshops: In-person retreats and online deep-dives in vision, neuroplasticity and whole-system health
**Dr. Sam Berne** stands at the nexus of vision science, holistic health and transformational coaching, offering a unique pathway for those who refuse to live by limits in their eyesight—or in their lives.
Join Dr. Sam Berne for These Upcoming Events:
In-Person Workshop – November 8
A full-day immersion in holistic vision and neuroplastic healing.
5-Week Online Workshop – Begins November 12
Experience Dr. Berne’s Functional Vision methods from anywhere in the world.
Essential Oil Master Class – November 22
Learn powerful natural protocols for vision and whole-body wellness.
Kauai Vision Retreat – February 19–24, 2026
A transformational week blending somatic movement, color therapy, and Functional Vision Integrative Body practices in paradise.
https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/
Practitioners:
Dr. Berne also offers a Functional Vision Integrative Body Practitioner Training.
To learn more or schedule a discovery call, contact:
Stream Dr. Berne’s New Documentary:
Beyond Sight: A Journey into Holistic Vision Healing
https://drsambernesmembership.com/pages/documentary
Explore His Books:
Including his latest release,
Beyond the Lens: The AI Visionary Playbook for Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders, available now on Amazon.
Link: https://amzn.to/45kptwt
Show Notes Neuroplasticity
Keywords
neuroplasticity, vision, polyvagal theory, trauma, therapy, eye health, brain function, social engagement, interoception, empathy
Summary
In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne explores the fascinating relationship between neuroplasticity and vision. He discusses how the brain’s ability to adapt and change can impact our visual health, emphasizing the importance of social engagement and interoception. The conversation also delves into the polyvagal theory and its implications for understanding trauma and therapy, highlighting the potential for improving vision through targeted exercises and therapies.
Takeaways
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt.
The health of our nervous system reflects our overall well-being.
Eye contact plays a crucial role in social engagement.
Interoception is key to understanding our internal states.
Trauma can impact vision and overall health.
Therapeutic exercises can improve focus and concentration.
The adult brain can change under certain conditions.
Neuroplasticity can enhance both structure and function of the brain.
Empathy is linked to our nervous system’s evolution.
Vision improvement is possible through targeted therapies.
Sound bites
“You can actually change the eyes.”
“You can improve your vision.”
“I help people get rid of double vision.”
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Neuroplasticity
02:21 The Role of Polyvagal Theory
05:15 Trauma and Vision Improvement
Sam Berne (00:00.814)
Hey everybody, it’s Dr. Sam and I want to welcome you to another eye clarity podcast. This is a show where I’m going to be talking about neuroplasticity. You know, I recently led a retreat called the vision sanctuary retreat and I’m giving you about nine minutes of really interesting information on the relationship between neuroplasticity.
and your vision. So I hope you enjoy the show. Thanks for tuning in. I want to start with a topic called neuroplasticity.
And this is an important subject because in the world of neuroscience, there’s a lot of research on the plasticity in our body, our brain and our vision. Another term for this could be brain plasticity or neural plasticity. And it’s the ability of the neural networks in the brain and the nervous system to change through
growth and reorganization.
Another way to say it is that the neuroplasticity that neuroplasticity is the eye brains ability to modify change and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience. And if you give the eyes a different kind of food, whether it’s nutrient based or energetically based you can actually
Sam Berne (01:44.877)
create changes.
Sam Berne (01:49.09)
So neuroplasticity can affect or it reflects the health of our nervous system and fluid body. So the more responsiveness we have
the better our health if we’re kind of numbed out or we’re not responding then it reflects some level of stagnating energy.
Sam Berne (02:21.39)
There’s a lot of research on neuroplasticity. could go on YouTube or you know, just look into the literature. One of the PhDs that I’ve followed is a guy named Greg Rekenzone. He’s a PhD associate Dean at Berkeley, UC Davis, sorry, UC Davis and he and his team in research found that
You can actually change the eyes. The adult brain can change provided you get certain conditions and those conditions will be what I discuss. So I want to bring in Stephen Porges and the polyvagal theory. This is a very groundbreaking
body of research and writings that dr. Porges is done over the years. And what he’s discovered is an explanation on how the nervous system develops and evolves and gives us that neuroplasticity potential. And one of the things that dr. Porges highlights there are many aspects to the polyvagal theory, but the fight-flight freeze response.
and the reptilian to mammalian evolution that we as humans go through and the one of the keys is developing social engagement, which stimulates this development and one of the keys in social engagement is eye contact.
So we start off with a mammalian. I’m sorry with a reptilian response fight-flight freeze and then through the Vegas nerve, which connects our head with our body. We start moving more into this empathic capability, but we have to go through certain experiences.
Sam Berne (04:33.901)
To be able to make that leap for many people. They either stay stuck in the survival reptilian response. And when they do it affects their sensory motor system, their nervous system, their biochemistry, their endocrine health. And one of the things that I talk about is called interoception. That means how well we’re able to
go inside and be aware and the better we’re able to have interoception. This allows us to begin to soften the defense strategies that are hardwired in us. And then we can move to a higher cognitive and brain sensory motor level and we move more into this
empathic or mammalian response. We actually experienced that this morning when we did the palm hum exercise. You all moved out of some thread of fight flight freeze and into more of a mammalian response and we’re going to build on that in a little bit. So here’s a picture of me just a few years out of school. No gray hair.
And I published an article on trauma. Trauma from either the brain or the eyes and early in my career. I was starting a practice in the Philadelphia area and I difficulty getting patients because the area that I was practicing in was very allopathically medically oriented.
And there were a lot of traditional ophthalmologists in that area. And so people were not ready to necessarily hear the message from me, which is you can improve your vision. So I went to one of the local hospitals and I talked to the physiatrist there who ran the outpatient clinic for trauma patients and I volunteered to
Sam Berne (07:00.927)
help his patients by doing this type of physical therapy that I had learned and over a period of three months. I help people get rid of double vision. help them improve their balance their memory their vestibular health and He saw the value in it because the traditional eye doctors
Didn’t want to address this. So I ended up getting a contract at a few hospitals in the area and started working for a company called remed and this led to then working with special needs kids who had cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. And so I did a research study and I found that
This type of physical therapy I was doing actually access to certain neuroplasticity and part of the the change occurred in the brain because I offered exercises that we’re going to do tomorrow that help improve our focus that focus was an important part in improving your concentration.
And that was one of the stimulating factors in neuroplasticity. So I have much more to say about neuroplasticity and through my blogs, both written and video, I’ll be talking about those. Now, if you want to ask me questions, you can always send me an email. Hello at Dr. Sam burn.com. But now you can text me your questions and that number is one eight four four.
9 3 2 1 2 9 1. So text me your question and I’ll do my best to answer it. Well, that’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in until next time. Take care.
The post Rewiring Vision first appeared on Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Care.
The post Rewiring Vision appeared first on Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Care.
View all episodes
By Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye HealthBio:
Dr. Sam Berne, OD, BF (Behavioral Optometry)** brings over 40 years of pioneering work at the intersection of vision science, neuroplasticity, and whole-person wellness. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he is both a clinician and thought-leader in holistic and integrative eye care.
Qualifications & Training
* B.S., Pennsylvania State University
* Doctor of Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry
* Post-doctoral fellowship at the Gesell Institute, affiliated with Yale University, focusing on infant/child development. ([Dr. Sam Berne][1])
*Certified in Iridology by Dr. Ellen Jensen
* Licensure in multiple states (including New Mexico and Hawaiʻi), with advanced training in behavioral/neuro-developmental optometry. ([Dr. Sam Berne
Professional Focus
Dr. Berne’s approach goes beyond traditional eye exams. He treats vision as a dynamic system of eye-brain-body interaction, using modalities such as vision therapy, color/light therapy, somatic movement, craniosacral work, and nutritional support.
Career Highlights
* Founded a private practice in Santa Fe that has served children and adults with vision difficulties, learning disorders, traumatic brain injury, and neuro-sensory challenges for over three decades.
* Authored multiple books and educational resources, including *Creating Your Personal Vision* and *Vital Vision*, bridging clinical practice with holistic perspective.
* International presenter and retreat leader in holistic vision, teaching in locations such as Hawaiʻi, Mexico, Europe and Russia.
* Faculty member of the Esalen Institute (Big Sur, CA), leading retreats in whole-health, vision, color therapy and subtle energy.
Signature Programs & Innovations
* **Functional Vision Integrative Body Certification**: a practitioner training program integrating functional vision, somatic movement and holistic eye-brain protocols.
* Holistic retreat offerings (e.g., multi-day vision & transformation retreats) grounded in his belief that vision healing is as much about the nervous system, body processes and energy as it is about lenses.
* A dedicated focus on conditions often underserved in conventional optometry such as cataracts, macular degeneration, post-viral vision dysfunction, and neuro-plastic enhancement of vision.
Mission & Philosophy
Dr. Berne’s mission is to empower people to **see clearer, feel better and live brighter**. He challenges the default model of “prescribe-and-manage” by addressing root causes, leveraging neuroplasticity and designing personalized pathways for vision improvement. He states: “Vision is not only about the eyes—it is the organ of light, tied to how the brain, body and spirit work together.”
Why People Seek Him Out
Individuals come to Dr. Berne when they are ready to:
* Explore alternatives to surgery or stronger prescriptions
* Reconnect vision with systemic health, brain function and lifestyle
* Navigate complex cases (learning-related vision issues, brain injury, progressive ocular conditions) with integrative and functional tools
* Participate in immersive experiences (retreats/workshops) that shift not just their vision but their entire visual system and life patterns
Contact & Offerings
* Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
* Clinic: Holistic Eye Care & Vision Therapy
* Online: Tele-medicine, practitioner training, membership portals and global reach
* Workshops: In-person retreats and online deep-dives in vision, neuroplasticity and whole-system health
**Dr. Sam Berne** stands at the nexus of vision science, holistic health and transformational coaching, offering a unique pathway for those who refuse to live by limits in their eyesight—or in their lives.
Join Dr. Sam Berne for These Upcoming Events:
In-Person Workshop – November 8
A full-day immersion in holistic vision and neuroplastic healing.
5-Week Online Workshop – Begins November 12
Experience Dr. Berne’s Functional Vision methods from anywhere in the world.
Essential Oil Master Class – November 22
Learn powerful natural protocols for vision and whole-body wellness.
Kauai Vision Retreat – February 19–24, 2026
A transformational week blending somatic movement, color therapy, and Functional Vision Integrative Body practices in paradise.
https://www.drsamberne.com/workshop/
Practitioners:
Dr. Berne also offers a Functional Vision Integrative Body Practitioner Training.
To learn more or schedule a discovery call, contact:
Stream Dr. Berne’s New Documentary:
Beyond Sight: A Journey into Holistic Vision Healing
https://drsambernesmembership.com/pages/documentary
Explore His Books:
Including his latest release,
Beyond the Lens: The AI Visionary Playbook for Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders, available now on Amazon.
Link: https://amzn.to/45kptwt
Show Notes Neuroplasticity
Keywords
neuroplasticity, vision, polyvagal theory, trauma, therapy, eye health, brain function, social engagement, interoception, empathy
Summary
In this episode, Dr. Sam Berne explores the fascinating relationship between neuroplasticity and vision. He discusses how the brain’s ability to adapt and change can impact our visual health, emphasizing the importance of social engagement and interoception. The conversation also delves into the polyvagal theory and its implications for understanding trauma and therapy, highlighting the potential for improving vision through targeted exercises and therapies.
Takeaways
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt.
The health of our nervous system reflects our overall well-being.
Eye contact plays a crucial role in social engagement.
Interoception is key to understanding our internal states.
Trauma can impact vision and overall health.
Therapeutic exercises can improve focus and concentration.
The adult brain can change under certain conditions.
Neuroplasticity can enhance both structure and function of the brain.
Empathy is linked to our nervous system’s evolution.
Vision improvement is possible through targeted therapies.
Sound bites
“You can actually change the eyes.”
“You can improve your vision.”
“I help people get rid of double vision.”
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Neuroplasticity
02:21 The Role of Polyvagal Theory
05:15 Trauma and Vision Improvement
Sam Berne (00:00.814)
Hey everybody, it’s Dr. Sam and I want to welcome you to another eye clarity podcast. This is a show where I’m going to be talking about neuroplasticity. You know, I recently led a retreat called the vision sanctuary retreat and I’m giving you about nine minutes of really interesting information on the relationship between neuroplasticity.
and your vision. So I hope you enjoy the show. Thanks for tuning in. I want to start with a topic called neuroplasticity.
And this is an important subject because in the world of neuroscience, there’s a lot of research on the plasticity in our body, our brain and our vision. Another term for this could be brain plasticity or neural plasticity. And it’s the ability of the neural networks in the brain and the nervous system to change through
growth and reorganization.
Another way to say it is that the neuroplasticity that neuroplasticity is the eye brains ability to modify change and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience. And if you give the eyes a different kind of food, whether it’s nutrient based or energetically based you can actually
Sam Berne (01:44.877)
create changes.
Sam Berne (01:49.09)
So neuroplasticity can affect or it reflects the health of our nervous system and fluid body. So the more responsiveness we have
the better our health if we’re kind of numbed out or we’re not responding then it reflects some level of stagnating energy.
Sam Berne (02:21.39)
There’s a lot of research on neuroplasticity. could go on YouTube or you know, just look into the literature. One of the PhDs that I’ve followed is a guy named Greg Rekenzone. He’s a PhD associate Dean at Berkeley, UC Davis, sorry, UC Davis and he and his team in research found that
You can actually change the eyes. The adult brain can change provided you get certain conditions and those conditions will be what I discuss. So I want to bring in Stephen Porges and the polyvagal theory. This is a very groundbreaking
body of research and writings that dr. Porges is done over the years. And what he’s discovered is an explanation on how the nervous system develops and evolves and gives us that neuroplasticity potential. And one of the things that dr. Porges highlights there are many aspects to the polyvagal theory, but the fight-flight freeze response.
and the reptilian to mammalian evolution that we as humans go through and the one of the keys is developing social engagement, which stimulates this development and one of the keys in social engagement is eye contact.
So we start off with a mammalian. I’m sorry with a reptilian response fight-flight freeze and then through the Vegas nerve, which connects our head with our body. We start moving more into this empathic capability, but we have to go through certain experiences.
Sam Berne (04:33.901)
To be able to make that leap for many people. They either stay stuck in the survival reptilian response. And when they do it affects their sensory motor system, their nervous system, their biochemistry, their endocrine health. And one of the things that I talk about is called interoception. That means how well we’re able to
go inside and be aware and the better we’re able to have interoception. This allows us to begin to soften the defense strategies that are hardwired in us. And then we can move to a higher cognitive and brain sensory motor level and we move more into this
empathic or mammalian response. We actually experienced that this morning when we did the palm hum exercise. You all moved out of some thread of fight flight freeze and into more of a mammalian response and we’re going to build on that in a little bit. So here’s a picture of me just a few years out of school. No gray hair.
And I published an article on trauma. Trauma from either the brain or the eyes and early in my career. I was starting a practice in the Philadelphia area and I difficulty getting patients because the area that I was practicing in was very allopathically medically oriented.
And there were a lot of traditional ophthalmologists in that area. And so people were not ready to necessarily hear the message from me, which is you can improve your vision. So I went to one of the local hospitals and I talked to the physiatrist there who ran the outpatient clinic for trauma patients and I volunteered to
Sam Berne (07:00.927)
help his patients by doing this type of physical therapy that I had learned and over a period of three months. I help people get rid of double vision. help them improve their balance their memory their vestibular health and He saw the value in it because the traditional eye doctors
Didn’t want to address this. So I ended up getting a contract at a few hospitals in the area and started working for a company called remed and this led to then working with special needs kids who had cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. And so I did a research study and I found that
This type of physical therapy I was doing actually access to certain neuroplasticity and part of the the change occurred in the brain because I offered exercises that we’re going to do tomorrow that help improve our focus that focus was an important part in improving your concentration.
And that was one of the stimulating factors in neuroplasticity. So I have much more to say about neuroplasticity and through my blogs, both written and video, I’ll be talking about those. Now, if you want to ask me questions, you can always send me an email. Hello at Dr. Sam burn.com. But now you can text me your questions and that number is one eight four four.
9 3 2 1 2 9 1. So text me your question and I’ll do my best to answer it. Well, that’s our show for today. I want to thank you so much for tuning in until next time. Take care.
The post Rewiring Vision first appeared on Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Care.
The post Rewiring Vision appeared first on Dr. Sam Berne - Holistic Eye Care.