Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg: How to Improve Your Eye Health & Offset Vision Loss

In this episode, my guest is Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the department of ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University. His clinical and research efforts focus on retinal and optic nerve diseases such as glaucoma and discovering stem cell and nanotechnology treatments to cure blindness. We discuss how to maintain and improve eye health throughout life, the advantages and disadvantages of corrective lenses, including if you should wear “readers,” the use and risks of contact lenses, considerations for LASIK eye surgery, floaters, dry eye, the importance of sunlight and UV protection and specific exercises to improve eye and vision health. Dr. Goldberg also explains age-related conditions: cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy; and the behavioral and supplementation-based, prescription and surgical tools used to promote eye health. This episode provides essential tools for listeners of any age and background to maintain eye health and offset vision loss.

#HubermanLab #Science #EyeHealth

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg
00:03:08 Sponsors: Maui Nui, LMNT, Eight Sleep
00:06:29 Childhood & Eye Exams
00:11:36 Eye Misalignment & Recovery
00:20:38 Myopia (Near-Sightedness), Children & Sunlight
00:30:04 Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:31:18 Eye Safety & Protection; Eye Hygiene
00:40:07 Adults & Eye Exams; Optometrist vs Ophthalmologist
00:46:35 Presbyopia (Age-Related Vision Decline), Reading Glasses
00:54:54 Reading Glasses: Use & Recommendations
00:58:34 Night Vision & Glasses
01:02:55 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:03:54 Corrective Eye Glasses, Exercises
01:09:52 Near-Far Exercise & Presbyopia; Smooth Pursuit Exercise & Concussion
01:13:25 Supranormal Vision & Performance Training
01:19:11 20/20 Vision; Visual Acuity
01:24:51 Contact Lenses: Use, Risks & Aging
01:31:34 UV Protection & Cataracts, “Blue Blockers”
01:38:20 Light Sensitivity & Eye Color
01:40:29 LASIK Eye Surgery
01:46:26 Dry Eye, Tears & Age
01:53:24 Dry Eye, Serum Tears & Preservative-Free Artificial Tears; PRP
02:00:46 Vision Loss: Cataracts, Glaucoma
02:09:23 Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Dry & Wet Forms
02:14:02 Diabetic Retinopathy, Type I vs Type II Diabetes
02:18:54 Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment, Blood Pressure
02:22:17 Glaucoma Screening & Treatment
02:28:07 Smoking, Vaping & Vision Diseases; Cannabis & Eye Pressure
02:35:13 Eye Pressure & Sleep Position
02:37:48 Macular Degeneration, Optic Neuropathies & Red-Light Therapy
02:42:23 “Floaters”
02:45:29 Eye Twitching
02:48:10 AREDS2 Supplementation & Age-Related Macular Degeneration
02:53:39 Glaucoma & Vitamin B3 Supplementation
02:58:42 Retinal Imaging & Neurodegeneration Screening, Multiple Sclerosis
03:06:30 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

[jopo]

This is why Andrew is such an excellent professor and purveyor of knowledge.
His main vision is to focus on his pupils.

[rodneymartin]

These gentlemen probably saved my vision. I was fortunate enough to participate in not just one, but two clinical trials that they collaborated on, and my glaucoma is now stable. I'm eternally grateful for brilliant and innovative thinkers such as Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Huberman for pushing the boundaries of medicine, and I was glad to be able to be given an opportunity to do a very small part to help out in their endeavors, if only as a patient.

[motivason]

Andrew, when I was 9 years old a little girl stuck a sowing pin in my eye (by accident) and I didn't tell anyone I couldn't see from that eye for days. But my mothers intuition saved me. I lost my retna and have a pin hole in my eye since. From the time I was 9 I used a corrective contact lense. The doctor said I had to wait until I was fully grown to place an implant corrective lense. All those years, I never let it stop me. I played baseball until well into my 20s with one eye basically, played sports, swam EVERYTHING! As normal. When I hit 30 the first thing I did was go get an implant done. This was done in the Ear and Eye institute in Manhattan NYC. Since then, I've had an implant for 10+ years now. I understand the importance of vision. But, more importantly I've learned how to do what you can, with what you have. I say all this to say, my "Good" eye, the one I've survived with all these years is starting to lose its power. And I'm hoping after I watch this video, I have hope to not lose my "Good" eyes vision. My "bad" eye is not so bad given the circumstance, or maybe that's just my optimism :) lol that never gives up. Thanks for the video "A" God bless

[lgcgvsc]

This is my 1st time hearing/watching Hubberman Lab podcast. I'm currently recovering from endovascular coiling of a giant unruptured ICA brain aneurysm (32mm x 28mm) which left me with ptosis and strabismus in my right eye 4 months ago.
It is a humbling and very frustrating experience. I'm hoping that this will correct itself soon without surgery, but I'm not very optimistic. One thing I have learned is to never take for granted the importance of good vision in both eyes. It is a major visual deficit having one eye which is unable to work with the other one.
Take care of your eyes, people!

[zombiepigboy]

I am immensely grateful to The Huberman Lab for being an essential part of my journey towards personal growth. The diverse range of topics covered and the free weekly episodes provided have been incredibly valuable. Focusing on the insights shared has resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of my life. I am deeply indebted to the knowledge Andrew has shared and will continue to eagerly listen and learn from him and his amazing guests. Mr. Huberman, you are my superhero in the realm of neuroscience!

[nancyjohinsen]

Dr. Goldberg is my ophthalmologist and this not only confirms my wise choice but encourages me to continue with him even though the clinic is a distance from my home. He is astute in every way and I have confidence in his care.

[mohammadattar]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🩺 *Dr. Goldberg shares insights on eye health on Huberman Lab Podcast.*
10:33 🧒 *Early amblyopia screening in children is crucial for successful correction.*
26:23 🌞 *Prolonged near work affects kids' eyes; outdoor activities are vital for eye health.*
31:30 👁️ *Eye safety is crucial in certain industries to prevent trauma.*
40:26 👁️ *Optometrists provide routine screenings, while ophthalmologists offer surgical expertise.*
46:42 👓 *Around 40, presbyopia occurs, requiringreading glasses for near vision.*
01:04:19 👁️ *Prism lenses impact eye position; understanding internal and external eye muscles is crucial.*
01:05:28 🌳 *Balancing natural vision, outdoor activities, and corrective measures is important.*
01:29:02 👁️ *Check contact lens tolerance regularly; daily disposables are recommended.*
02:00:55 💧 *Dry eye is common; artificial tears address watery component, but oil deficiency is challenging.*
02:04:32 🔬 *Early glaucoma detection, lifestyle changes, and treatments are essential.*
02:15:32 🩺 *Diabetic retinopathy requires regular exams; controlling blood sugar is crucial.*
02:28:25 🚭 *Smoking is a major risk for glaucoma and macular degeneration.*
02:31:55 🌿 *Cannabis may lower eye pressure, but practicality issues exist.*
02:45:19 🚫 *Floaters generally resolve on their own; surgical intervention is rare.*
02:47:09 🤔 *Occasional eye twitching is usually harmless; persistent cases may need medical attention.*
02:49:11 🥕 *AREDS supplements show promise; caution on unproven supplements.*
02:59:02 🧠 *Retina is part of the brain; retina imaging aids in neurodegenerative disease detection.*
03:02:56 ⚕️ *Advanced retina imaging offers hope for neurodegenerative disease biomarkers and Precision Health.*
03:03:38 🤝 *Dr. Goldberg's discussion blends basic and clinical science, offering actionable eye health recommendations.*

Made with HARPA AI

[dr.kevinp]

As an ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist I found this podcast extremely informative and educational! Well done!

[lucieg]

I had LASIK done in 2007 (age 27) for nearsightedness on both eyes (-3 and -3.75), vision corrected to 20/15 - today stil 20/20. No dry eye, post-op huge improvement in night-time vision. The first few years after LASIK I was very light sensitive, now it is much better. Totally excited about the procedure.

[silentrunner]

Excellent timing for me on this subject. I had SLT last month. Been on eye drops for about 9 months. Dr had given me the option a second of set of eye drops instead. I had decided to treat this as aggressively as possible even if the cost was out of pocket. Advantage plan has minimal vision coverage, but medical took care of most of the cost. As I told the specialist, I need at least 20-25 years of good vision. I'm 68, 69 in a couple of months, and planning on at least 95. Cataract surgery also on the the horizon in a few years. Otherwise good health, no meds, low BP, glucose a little high at 106 but rock steady very stable(A1c-5.5, fasting insulin 4.8), nominal weight, trigs-48, hdl-82, omad low carb, mostly carnivore, need to exercise a little more, get that muscle mass up. I do not want to screw this up, I can't afford to. Keep doing what you are doing. The knowledge you are providing is improving the quality of life decision for many and is much appreciated.

[claritatify]

Loved this episode. As someone who lost an eye aged 19 from a sporting accident, I cannot stress the importance of protective eyewear when appropriate.

[hishamahmad]

Going into my 4th year of optometry in Glasgow, Scotland. Very informative podcast. Pretty much summed up my whole course syllabus in three hours 🤣. Brilliant!

[gytisbl]

What a great podcast! <3

Summary about glaucoma (bc my dad and grandma have it):

5-15% of patients lose vision COMPLETELY.

When the nerve is damaged, it's irreversible. You need to get screened once a year, because you get symptoms only in late-stage (peripheral vision loss, headaches from increased pressure).

Tests: eye pressure, photo of head of optic nerve, peripheral vision test.

Main concept: EYE PRESSURE.

Treatments (2:24:23):
-reducing eye pressure (even if normal pressure) with drops
-Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT). A good initial treatment choice. Zaps the plumbing in the eye and clears blockages that keep the eye pressure high.

Major risk factors:
-aging
-smoking/vaping/2nd hand smoking/alcohol
-cannabis-bad when smoking-can be good edible, because it lowers eye pressure (2:32:13)

Eye pressure is higher at night. Sleeping position of 30 degree angle maybe used for some severe patients that can tolerate this.

Hot topics from research:
-for glaucoma high-dose vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) shows promise and is going through a big phase 3 clinical trial

For general eye-health research:
-photo therapy (infra-red, ultra-violet)
-for medium to severe macular degenaration AREDS2 supplements slows progression by 20%
(vitamins C 500mg, E 400 IU, Copper (2mg), Lutein (10mg), Zeaxanthin 2 mg, Zinc 80mg)

A good cardiovascular system is important (cardio / eating healthy).

etc:
Eyes are the window to the brain and are starting to help with detection of Alzheimers, Multiple sclerosis, other brain disorders.

2:04:29 hard intro
2:22:19 about treatment
2:49:45 supplements

[maureenk]

I started wearing glasses for nearsightedness at age 9. I started eating eating a whole food, plant based, SOS (sugar, oil, salt free) free diet for about the last 7 years. When I had my eyesight tested, about 3 years ago, my eyesight had improved so dramatically that my eye doctor said I did not have to wear glasses unless I wanted to. I think this may be because my diet is low fat and full of healthful antioxidants. My eyesight had only declined up until I went whole food, plant based. My many health issues, such as migraines, sciatica, low energy, etc. have disappeared since adopting this diet.

[camillecali]

My experience has been different . I had undiagnosed strabismus. I had surgery in my 40's but it didn't take. I did eye exercises for five years and now in my 60's my eyes are perfect.

[TeacherMom]

Awww…I am touched by this episode, due to my sister in law & mother of 4 young children recently going 100% black out blind. I am THANKFUL. Bless your heart, Dr. Huberman! You are a Godsend. 💕🙏🏼😇

[The_Brew_Dog]

I just turned 42 and had my first ophthalmologist appointment this last week discussing my newly developed presbyopia. The segment covering this topic was so informative and covered what questions I had precisely.

[diannestevens]

I used to suffer from chronic dry eyes. Since breaking away from the classic low fat way of eating and just eating mainly high fat animal products, I totally got rid of the problem and it took listening to this talk to remind me how bad my dry eye problem was

[hcunbck]

Love from India. The way you share knowledge with empathy and compassion, the way you not only explain concepts but give us tools to optimize and improve our lives is inspiring.

[charulatakohli]

Thanks for your advice on lutein as my 80 year old Mum’s glaucoma has dramatically improved. Phenomenal progress in 4 months. Hugely appreciate your content 🙏🏼