Dr. Davinder Sidhu, Vancouver, BC (2026)

02/20/2026

You never experience the world in true real time.

What you see is a slightly delayed, constantly predicted version of reality.

Visual signals take tens of milliseconds to travel from the retina through the thalamus and into visual and decision-making circuits. To stay functional in a fast-moving world, the brain fills in that gap by predicting what will happen next.

That prediction system is why you can catch a ball, drive at speed, or react instantly without feeling perpetually behind.

But it comes with consequences.

• In sports, driving, and gaming, even small amounts of blur or double vision can reduce precision and reaction time.
• During sleep deprivation, anxiety, or migraine, visual predictions become noisier—light feels harsher, motion feels overwhelming, and environments feel chaotic.
• Small improvements in contrast, tear film stability, and binocular alignment can dramatically improve how reliable vision feels to the brain.

Your eyes and brain don’t work separately.
They function as one integrated performance system.

When the visual input improves, the brain’s predictions stabilize.

If your work or safety depends on precise vision, don’t treat your eyes and brain as separate parts—optimize the system.

👉 Save this if you live on screens or behind the wheel, and share it with someone who relies on fast, accurate vision.
PMIDs: 37507918, 33525498

Predictive coding & cortical computation reviews: Richert 2016; Friston & Perrinet 2016

02/20/2026

Dry eye isn’t rare — it’s one of the most common ocular conditions worldwide.

According to a large scale study (TFOS DEWS III), dry eye affects a substantial portion of the global population, with prevalence estimates ranging from single digits to well over 40–50%, depending on age, environment, screen exposure, and diagnostic criteria. In short: it’s common, and it’s increasing.

And it doesn’t always look like red, irritated eyes.

Many people with dry eye experience:
• Fluctuating or unstable blur
• Eye fatigue or burning
• Light sensitivity
• Poor reading endurance
• Difficulty sustaining focus

Dry eye is now recognized as a major contributor to functional vision problems, especially in screen-heavy modern life.

If your eyes burn, blur, sting, or feel tired most days, you don’t need to normalize it.

👉 Save this and bring it up at your next eye exam.

PMIDs: 9614673, 36301551

02/14/2026

Seeing clearly isn’t just about reading small letters on a chart.

Contrast sensitivity—the ability to detect subtle differences between light and dark—is essential for reading efficiently, tracking movement, and recognizing patterns quickly.

Research in children with ADHD (Combined Type) shows measurably reduced contrast sensitivity compared to peers without ADHD. More importantly, the degree of contrast reduction is associated with symptom severity, suggesting that visual processing differences scale with how strongly attention is affected.

Why this matters:

Reduced contrast sensitivity can lead to:
• Slower reading and faster visual fatigue
• Greater difficulty copying from a board or screen
• Struggles in low-contrast environments (grey text, dim lighting)
• Higher effort required to stay visually engaged

When contrast information is degraded, the brain has to work harder to interpret what it’s seeing. For a child already managing attention regulation, this added visual load can amplify fatigue, frustration, and avoidance during learning tasks.

This does not mean ADHD is a vision disorder.

But it does show that visual processing can influence how hard focusing feels, especially in academic settings.

A comprehensive eye exam that includes contrast sensitivity and binocular vision testing can uncover visual stressors that standard acuity testing may miss.

If schoolwork consistently feels harder than it “should,” vision may be part of the equation.

Share this with a parent, educator, or caregiver supporting a child who struggles with visual focus.
[PMID: 20183726]

02/14/2026

Your brain gives vision an incredible amount of priority.

A large portion of your brain is involved in processing visual information.

Vision isn’t passive.

Information travels from your retina → to a relay station in the brain (the lateral geniculate nucleus) → then into the visual cortex.

From there, it splits into two major systems:

• One pathway helps you recognize what you’re looking at
• The other helps you understand where things are and how to move through space

These systems don’t just help you “see.”

They constantly influence:
• Attention
• Balance and posture
• Eye–hand coordination
• Reaction time
• Mental effort

— all in real time.

That’s why even small visual changes can feel bigger than they seem.

Subtle issues like:
• Dry eye (unstable tear film)
• Reduced contrast sensitivity
• Glare sensitivity
• Mild binocular strain

—can increase the effort your brain needs to process visual information.

You might experience this as:
• Visual fatigue
• Slower reading
• Motion sensitivity
• Headaches
• That “foggy” feeling by mid-afternoon

— even when your vision still measures 20/20.

Because 20/20 only measures clarity at one distance.
It doesn’t measure how efficiently your visual system is working.

So when someone says,
“My eyes are fine — I can see the chart,”

—that doesn’t always mean the entire eye–brain system is functioning optimally.

Vision is about performance — not just prescription.

📱 Save this for later.

PMIDs: 1822724, 33275949, 37958214, 31116166

02/14/2026

Most people think eye exams are about glasses.

They’re not.

Here are 5 mind-blowing eye facts backed by science:

1️⃣ You can lose a significant amount of optic nerve before noticing vision changes.
Glaucoma often progresses silently.
PMID: 30861496

2️⃣ Your retina can reveal signs of heart disease and stroke risk.
Retinal vascular changes correlate with cardiovascular outcomes.
PMID: 30732725

3️⃣ Screen use cuts your blink rate almost in half.
Reduced blinking contributes to dry eye and digital strain.
PMID: 25798936

4️⃣ The eye is the only place in the body where we can directly view nerves and blood vessels non-invasively.
This makes it a powerful window into systemic health.
PMID: 30996563

5️⃣ Blue light from screens has not been shown to cause retinal damage at normal exposure levels in humans.
PMID: 30718176

Vision loss rarely starts with blur.
It starts quietly.

That’s why comprehensive eye exams are medical — not cosmetic.

👁️ When was your last full eye exam?
Drop the year below.

📌 Save this post. Your future vision depends on what you know today.

02/11/2026

Stress doesn’t just affect your mind.
It can affect your retina.

Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC) is one of the clearest examples of a stress-linked eye disease.

CSC happens when fluid builds up under the retina, causing a blurred, dim, or washed-out spot in your central vision. Research shows a strong connection between CSC and elevated cortisol (your main stress hormone) — as well as corticosteroid exposure.

In simple terms:
Chronic stress can physically change how your retina behaves.

CSC is more common in people with:
• Chronic stress or burnout
• Poor or disrupted sleep
• Type-A / high-pressure personalities
• Steroid use (oral, inhaled, topical, injections)

Early symptoms often include:
• Straight lines looking wavy
• A grey or dark spot in the center of vision
• Reduced contrast in one eye

This isn’t a “wait and see” situation.
Persistent fluid can damage retinal cells if it lingers.

⚠️ Sudden central blur = book an eye exam promptly.

Save this.
Share it with someone who’s always stressed.

PMID: 29487822
PMCID: PMC5824087

02/11/2026

Vision loss is one of the most underestimated global health challenges, yet millions of cases are preventable or treatable.

The Global Burden of Disease analysis published in The Lancet identified the leading causes of vision impairment worldwide and showed that the majority are conditions with known screening, treatment, or prevention strategies. These include uncorrected refractive error, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration.

What makes this especially important is that vision loss is not just a sight issue. It increases the risk of:

• Falls and injury
• Cognitive decline and depression
• Loss of independence
• Reduced educational and economic opportunity

Many people live with avoidable visual impairment simply because of delayed exams, limited access to care, or lack of awareness.

Routine eye care is not just about seeing clearly today. It is one of the most powerful tools we have for protecting long-term brain health, mobility, and quality of life.

If it has been more than one to two years since your last exam, this is your reminder.

Save this and share it with someone who keeps postponing their eye check.

[PMID: 33275949]

02/09/2026

Two people can read the exact same line on an eye chart and live with very different levels of limitation, distress, and confidence. Anxiety is a major reason why.

Research in chronic eye disease shows that anxiety significantly modifies how strongly vision loss affects quality of life. Patients with higher anxiety consistently report worse daily functioning, greater visual distress, and lower independence, even when their measured visual acuity looks similar to others.

This means vision is not experienced only through the optics of the eye. It is filtered and amplified through the emotional brain.

On high-anxiety days, the same visual input can feel harsher, more unstable, and more overwhelming.

On calmer days, that same vision may feel manageable.

This explains why some patients with moderate disease cope remarkably well, while others feel disabled by comparatively small changes.

If your vision problems feel heavier during stressed or anxious weeks, that does not mean you are being dramatic. It means your visual and emotional systems are interacting exactly as neuroscience predicts. The most effective care often treats both the eye condition and the nervous system through vision care, therapy, sleep regulation, and when appropriate, medical support.

Save this for someone who keeps being told their eyes are fine when they clearly do not feel fine.

[PMID: 35145163, 35010913, 35010914, 35010915]

02/08/2026

Jumping on the ChatGPT caricature trend 👀

Try it out yourself:
“Create a caricature of me based on my job and everything you know about me.”

Be honest — did ChatGPT get it right or no?

💬 Drop a YES or NO in the comments 👇

01/27/2026

Here are 5 eye symptoms you should NEVER ignore — because they can be early clues to problems that need urgent assessment:

1️⃣ Sudden blurry vision in one eye
This can be a vascular/ischemic warning sign (e.g., transient monocular vision loss / amaurosis fugax) and should be evaluated promptly.

2️⃣ Flashes or a sudden burst of floaters — especially with any shadow or vision loss
New flashes/floaters can signal a retinal tear and increase the risk of retinal detachment.

3️⃣ Eye pain + nausea or vomiting (± headache)
This combination is classic for acute angle-closure glaucoma — a true eye emergency.

4️⃣ A droopy eyelid that appears suddenly
New ptosis can be neurological. When it’s sudden, timing matters. If it’s new and you feel “off,” don’t guess.

5️⃣ New or sudden double vision
Acute binocular diplopia is a red flag. Certain features (severe headache, pupil changes) raise urgency even more.

This isn’t meant to scare you —
it’s meant to help you act fast when it counts.

✅ Save this (future-you will thank you)
↗️ Share with someone who tends to “wait and see”
💬 Comment “URGENT” and I’ll send a quick checklist of what to tell your doctor/optometrist when symptoms hit.

Educational only — not personal medical advice. If you have sudden vision changes or severe eye pain, seek urgent in-person care.

01/22/2026

👁️ Why does my vision fluctuate?

Some days your vision is sharp. Other days it’s blurry, strained, or inconsistent — even with the same glasses or contacts.

Vision changes aren’t always about prescription strength. Often, they’re influenced by eye health, systemic health, and daily habits.

Here are 10 common reasons your vision can fluctuate ⬇️

1️⃣ Dry eye disease
2️⃣ Lack of sleep
3️⃣ Diabetes or blood sugar changes
4️⃣ Side effects of medication(s)
5️⃣ Too much screen time
6️⃣ Recreational drug use
7️⃣ Pregnancy / hormonal shifts
8️⃣ Overwearing your contact lenses
9️⃣ Binocular vision disorders
🔟 High blood pressure

🧠 Key takeaway: fluctuating vision isn’t random — and it’s not something to ignore if it’s happening often.

If your vision comes and goes, the solution may be treating the cause, not just changing your glasses.

Save this post 📌

Share it with someone who’s always saying “my vision feels off”

And book an eye exam if it’s becoming frequent 👨‍⚕️

Dr. Davinder Sidhu

02/20/2026

02/20/2026

02/14/2026

02/14/2026

02/14/2026

02/11/2026

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02/09/2026

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01/27/2026

01/22/2026

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