47: Vision Challenges & ADHD with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum

On this week’s episode of the Soaring Child, we are exploring an interesting topic - neuro-optometry and the correlation between vision problems and ADHD. 

Dr. Bryce Appelbaum is a pioneer in neuro-optometry, passionate about unlocking life's potential through vision. His expertise includes reorganizing the visual brain post-concussion, remediating visual developmental delays interfering with reading and learning, and enhancing visual skills to elevate sports performance. 

Dr. Appelbaum is on a mission to change the way the world views vision. He believes there is more to vision than just 20/20 eyesight and has developed programs to retrain the brain and eyes. Dr. Appelbaum has been featured on the front page of USA Today, in The New York Times, and in many others. 

In this episode, discover how vision therapy can help children with ADHD. 

Key Takeaways:

[3:26] What is vision therapy?

[6:23] How hidden vision problems can mimic ADHD behaviors and dyslexia

[13:35] What is the focusing system?

[16:00] What to do about convergence insufficiency 

[21:48] Some exercises to help the eyes

[22:04] The 20-20-20 rule

[25:57] What are the bands for the different ages?

[29:57] Specific supplements that help with eyesight

Memorable Quotes:

“I like to think of eyesight and vision as separate entities.”

“All visual skills are learned skills, and they’re skills that are either learned well or not learned as well as they could be.”

“We learn skills through our life experiences, especially early on. We learn how to integrate both sides of our body, and we learn how to develop the motor foundation from which we then learn how to use our visual system.”

“Dyslexia, by definition, means difficulty reading words.”

“Convergence insufficiency is essentially the brain's ability to use the outside muscles of the eyes to point in the same place to see something single.”

“Treatment options should always start with, ‘Can something be done with glasses to make life easier and to make things more comfortable to close the gap in terms of where they're operating compared to where they want to be?’” 

“It's basically brain training for the eyes, which should be individualized and should be based off of all the different metrics that are identified, and should have a nice mix of home therapy with office therapy, where there's reinforcement of what has been learned.”

“95% of people I've seen in the last two and a half years have had an increase in symptoms or problems that they’re no longer able to compensate for, based on this huge introduction of visual stress.”

 

Here’s a link to his program https://screenfit.peachs.co/a/dana-kay  and use DANAKAY10 for 10% off.

 

How to Connect with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum

Website: https://www.appelbaumvision.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AppelbaumVision 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbryceappelbaum/ 

Dana Kay Resources:

Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/ 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute 

 

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/ 

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl  

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/