EP 178: What Your Eyes Reveal About Your Attachment & Stress | Dr. Bryce AppelbaumEP 178: What Your Eyes Reveal About Your Attachment & Stress | Dr. Bryce Appelbaum
The Biology of Trauma™ With Dr. Aimie
Conversation with neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum about how vision, trauma and nervous system states are closely linked. Includes simple eye exercises and practical examples of how changing visual habits can support a greater sense of safety and ease.
57:28•16 Jun 2026
What Your Eyes Say About Stress, Safety and Trauma
Episode Overview
- Vision is a brain-driven process, and stress or trauma often shows up as tunnel vision and loss of peripheral awareness.
- Functional vision problems can persist long after concussions or emotional trauma and may be mistaken for dyslexia or attention disorders.
- Simple daily exercises like peripheral pointing, eye push-ups and eye stretches can help reopen periphery, reduce screen strain and support regulation.
- Early attachment, consistent caregiving and limiting screen time are crucial for healthy visual development and a stronger sense of safety.
- Nourishing the brain with omega-3 fats, leafy greens and antioxidants supports eye health and can ease some visual stress symptoms.
“"Peripheral collapse is autonomic dysfunction made visible. Opening that back up gives the body a path back to a sense of safety."”
How do people manage co-occurring nervous system stress and vision problems while recovering from trauma? This conversation on The Biology of Trauma™ zooms in on the link between your eyes, your brain, and your felt sense of safety. Neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum joins interviewer Lacey Suby to unpack how vision is far more than seeing 20/20.
He explains that eyes gather information, but "vision is entirely brain function" – and two-thirds of the neurons entering the brain come from the eyes. Under stress or fight-or-flight, pupils widen, peripheral vision collapses and you get tunnel vision, which can make the world feel unsafe and small. As Dr. Aimie frames it, "Peripheral collapse is autonomic dysfunction made visible.
Opening that back up gives the body a path back to a sense of safety." You'll hear practical links to everyday struggles that often show up alongside trauma and even addiction recovery: screen fatigue, brain fog, motion sickness, anxiety on bridges or in tunnels, fear of driving, and old concussions that were brushed off years ago. Dr. Appelbaum argues that many labels, including some dyslexia and attention problems, may hide "functional vision problems" that are actually trainable.
The episode stays very hands-on. You’re guided through simple eye exercises like "peripheral pointing", eye push-ups, and eye stretches that can be done in minutes a day to gently reopen peripheral vision, support regulation and reduce screen strain. There's also talk of how early attachment, lack of consistent caregiving, and heavy screen use in childhood can distort visual development and contribute to feeling unsafe in relationships.
For anyone on a healing path who notices they tense up, shut down or reach for substances when overwhelmed, this chat offers a fresh angle: what if part of your "danger" response is in how your eyes and brain are working together – and what if that can change?
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