Visual Convergence and Tension: Why Your Computer Use Can Be Causing Your Pain Patterns.

There is no doubt about the fact that computers have become a bigger part of life than ever. Many people are forced to spend the vast majority of their day working on computers for work. Even more so because of "Covid-world". This situation results in excessive visual convergence, drawing our eyes closer together to see up close. This creates tension in our eye muscles and cranium.
Unfortunately for modern humans, the visual system was not designed for so much close work. It was designed to see in the distance with the ability to see up close, too. But now we live in an unnatural world: we do everything up close and then see distance every now and then. It's even worse in the winter time when we spend most of our time indoors.
This is the truth: increased visual convergence increases tension in our neck and body. You can find studies on the subject. It also forms a habit of over-focusing our eyes. When we over-converge and over-focus, we lose peripheral visual awareness and optic flow. Without peripheral awareness and optic flow (the sense of the world moving past you as you move forward) we can't move forward correctly. We become tight. We become patterned. This is the core of Postural Restoration as I understand it.
pritrainer.com/
Hey there, my name is Neal Hallinan.
The purpose of this channel is to help people understand and resolve chronic muscular and joint pain, primarily through the discipline of Postural Restoration.
As someone who lived with chronic pain for many years of my life, I know how debilitating and isolating it can be. But I also know it can be resolved.
I hold the following credentials:
Postural Restoration Trained (PRT)
Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS)
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
Amateur Historian (AH, my own self-designation)
I live and work in the great state of New Jersey, USA.
I offer one-on-one training as well as online consultations via Skype. Feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail] for more info.
/ neal_hallinan
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Subscribe to my channel here: / @nealhallinan
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For an example of typical exercises for a beginner program, you can look here:
pritrainer.com/pri-left-aic-r...
Please note, this is quite generic and not sufficient for everybody!
For further information about Postural Restoration defined patterns, check out these videos and blog posts.
pritrainer.com/left-aic-pattern/
• What is the Left AIC p...
• Introduction to the Ri...
pritrainer.com/right-bc-pattern/
• RTMCC Pattern Basics
pritrainer.com/right-tmcc-pat...

[@southernsoundpulse]

Oh my god!! This is so REAL! I paused this video for commenting, I had a really bad right rib cage pain , and tension in general on my right side. I am right handed and my left eye is weaker than right. So I closed my right eye using my hand and was watching this video and MIRACULOUSLY that right side pain on the ribs are gone!! Thank you so much for such great videos!

[@craftyninjacat]

I do everything on my cell phone these days. I tried an experiment last week where I put my cell phone, Kindle, and tablet in the basement and didn't touch them for an entire day and my entire body felt so much more relaxed at the end of the day. I think I spent maybe 20 minutes at the computer during that time.

[@NealHallinan]

We definitely know you have this issue. Optic flow is how we got you neutral, if you recall.

[@G4mer_D4d]

I played apex legends til my body changed shape. I feel like I've disassociated from the real 4 dimensional world

[@wokevroz]

⁠@@G4mer_D4d I know what you mean it’s from sitting for so long and leaning to one side. It feels like my eyes are going different directions, and my pelvis is rotated to the right or something

[@deannawestendorf8700]

THANK YOU so much for this info.! Incredibly helpful for those of us with anxiety

[@lightnrg775]

Am so happy I found your channel, Bless you your a great human being

[@uboobly]

Like many of Neil's videos, it months later and revisiting his videos like this one that I realize that the content is extremely relevant to me. I had the sense my left AIC went nuclear during the pandemic but I couldn't put my fingers on it. Relentless computer work and staying home like it's house arrest. I have suffered greatly. At this point present discussions with my PRI provider I'm likely headed out to Lincoln for evaluation for Eyewear. The computer monitor was never mentioned by my therapist though. This video hits like a ton of bricks for the second time. First last August 2021 I realized I had no left visual field. Now the computer monitor aspect. All the videos I get more out of with repeat views which the same could be said for PRI exercises. It all takes time to digest and get better at.

[@amyhoop9651]

Neal, this is amazing! This is why I get dizzy when moving because my left peripheral vision is shut off. This will help me tremendously when walking. I will make sure I am opening up my left peripheral vision. Thank you so much!

[@MisterDogg]

Glad i can find ppl that talk about this stuff. That forward head posture from staring at a screen is scary when you get vagus nerve compression around c1-c2 scm area. I think I had to start constantly looking down to relieve nerve tension while I was driving. Whiplash from a car accident didn’t help either. When I started to notice the relaxation/muscle inhibition it was a serious omg moment because you realize how long these muscles have been “turned on” in tension. Even after 4 months of PRI I still couldn’t even access the inhibition of my traps/neck/scm area. It’s an eye opening moment. Ha!

[@NealHallinan]

So you were able to finally relax your neck? That's why PRI is all about keeping the neck relaxed. The upper traps and SCMs are enervated by cranial nerves, so they are directly tied into autonomic regulation.

[@MisterDogg]

@@NealHallinan not until just recently, but yes. I think I remember you saying in one of your vids that our ultimate goal is to feel “whole”.I get a lot of numbness/dissociation throughout my body. It’s a challenge to stay down to earth or “grounded”. I wonder if adding weight would help like ankle weights.

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

@@MisterDoggwhat did you do? My scm and traps are just stuck in spasm holding me up and causes weird symptoms- vision, dizziness, headaches, dissociated feelings…

[@MisterDogg]

@@user-zk8ck3my3l slowly changing my lifestyle. Trying to incorporate good sitting posture whenever I can. I bought a zero gravity chair to lay in when I play games now so my head doesn’t start to lean forward.

[@blonde_stormtrooper4148]

Neil!!! This is awesome!!! 🤯🤯🤯 thank you sooooo much 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@NealHallinan]

You’re welcome.

[@trenthm]

Such fascinating stuff! Thanks for the tips

[@Songs-uw6zx]

Love it! Every time I listen to you it gives me so much motivation and passion to keep learning and further understanding PRI. Appreciate the work you're doing Neal!

[@NealHallinan]

Thank you.

[@FirstLast-tx3yj]

@@NealHallinan after watching your videos i traced the problem back to my vision but couldnt solve it because it was due to excessive right eye dominance. Today I recieved cheap UV light protection glasses and they seem to imediately fix my posture!! How come?! They are just cheap uv protection lenses!

[@andrewvernon4664]

Thank you so much. This is helpful.

[@thejdocrealminute4648]

Incredible information. Job well done!

[@ambarchatterjee9426]

I am bewildered with your knowledge❤🎉

[@kevinleete8549]

I had viral meningitis at 6 weeks old. After 35 years of pain I was told by a practitioner that I had many primal reflexes still active (high fever does that apparently!). One symptom of these reflexes still being active was that I could nearly see behind my head! I presume that this dysfunction feeds into your narrative Neal of how the visual and vestibular system affect the body. Keep up the great work and content 😀

[@NealHallinan]

Thanks, yes visual and vestibular are important.

[@ataylor992]

So funny you mention optic flow. I've been focusing on the left heal/ right arch with great success. Just the other day I was able to work my night walk into a night run and noticed how relieving the optic flow phenomenon can be when I kept my head up and periphery engaged.

[@NealHallinan]

It's also why treadmills are not great. Your body is in motion but the world stays stationary. No optic flow. Very confusing for your brain!

[@fab123fab]

Interesting!

[@victoriajustice564]

Yes thank you for sharing this, it speaks to many of us that suffer from chronic tension. It all comes down to having lost the ability to function the way we were designed to. We were never meant to live our lives on a computer, in a house, driving in a car and sitting for extended periods. These things as well as a million others have contibuted to our loss of balance. For me it comes down to simplifying my life, living more in nature and praying in gratitide along with meditation twice a day. I don't think some of us can ever achieve this balance of the modern world, our bodies fight it every step and we need to listen to our inner spirit for guidance. One week away in nature and away from everything can answer a lot of questions that don't seem to have answers. ♥

[@NealHallinan]

I agree. Nature, meditation, purpose, gratitude, simplifying your life....modern life doesn't make those things easily attainable unless you concentrate on it.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

i think that training peripheral vision also helps using computer made me fixated always on one point and not blinking enough what expanded veins in eyes and gave dry eyes syndrome one eye got worse in this aspect as was ones stinged by a bee a bit deforming it botox style 😅 I was shocked discovering that full peripheral vision is also possible, seeing whole picture spectrum and looking this way is so relaxing to eyes

[@TexasTabla]

love ur channel man helps me understand

[@NealHallinan]

I'm happy it's helping.

[@TexasTabla]

@@NealHallinan any way you can incorporate bioenergetics by alexander lowen into your teachings?

[@japanesegooner]

Another amazing video Neil!!! I’ve stated pri today to try and fix my pelvic floor problems taht have given me so much stress and anxiety the last three years!!! When you talk about computer glasses and blue light glasses the same? Many thanks

[@NealHallinan]

Thanks, John. I think most computer glasses (no prescription) are blue light and glare resistant.

[@GonzaloCorts]

Love this and the concept of optic flow!! I imagine treadmills are pretty bad for this then!! I always thought it can’t be natural for the body and didn’t think about the brain connection with PRI!! Fascinating!!! Have you tried using the filters on an iPhone that leave the screen mostly red and minimizes blue light?? I feel better using it and most KZbin videos show you how to create the shortcut so that you can switch it back and forth by pressing the home button 3 times! It’s pretty cool!!!

[@NealHallinan]

Yes, treadmills are likely terrible. I'll have to try out the Iphone filter.

[@pierrelouisgenier8934]

Dear Neal Thank you so much for all your videos, i tried some of the excercises you recommend and they helped. I would love to go further on the excercise, i was wondering if you still provide online one to one session ?

[@tylerpatterson434]

Was hoping to hear back from you 😕

[@prabdeeppanesar35]

Hi Neal, Thank you for this great video. Very helpful and informative. Do you think that wearing larger and more round frames can be better for helping to reduce eye strain and tension? I noticed that in some of your recent videos you are wearing relatively small and rectangular glasses frames. Why did you choose to wear those smaller and rectangular-shaped frames?

[@sinanpehlivanoglu3375]

Hi Neil, I have same visiual problem, loss of peripheral vision on the left side, when I go for a walk I do try focus peripheral vision meaning try to focus whats happens around me, up,down,sides,diagonal up right,down, diagonal left up and down. Just wanted to share my experience. Thank you. You are great man..

[@NealHallinan]

Thanks for the comment, Sinan. Awareness of the periphery is really important.

[@mr_y3w]

I feel i have been using my left eye too much. Is it wise to consistently close my left eye and use my right eye to read/screen time etc?

[@ennabassa5233]

Hi Neal. Do your BD Yoke prism glasses have round frames? I experienced a sense of relief of cranial pain testing my optometrist's 'default' yoke glasses out in his neuro opt office. Those had round frames. The ones he made for me though don't have round frames, and I haven't felt the same type of relief :(

[@craftyninjacat]

Neil, would you mind adding the links to those articles in the video description?

[@NealHallinan]

That article was included in a PRI manual.

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

This is also so interesting because even though my vision is fine, i feel better wearing glasses. Also… so true because i stopped driving due to injury and covid for a long time and work full time on a computer- never did prior and i swear my wyes are “stuck” converged so now driving triggers panic as my eyes dont diverge and “work right” but again, clarity is good… also chronic scm and scalene issues (before this- only right, post accident) and i chronucally hyperventilate out of dysfunctiomal breathing habit… do you take telemed apts? I need a pri test and map out plan.

[@danielleritcheymiyazaki2307]

Thank you or this great video. I'm curious, can I see any optometrist about this? I definitely think I'm having some issues with this

[@SoLoud3Music]

Any advice for things to say or questions to ask when going in to get my eyes checked and get glasses

[@rajparikh8890]

Neal, awesome points here! I've been able to identify a direct correlation between extended computer use (or watching movies on my phone/laptop) and then feeling worse after, even if I'm not sitting the entire time. My local PRI therapist (Bay Area) gave me a couple exercises related to vision, periphery and the optic flow. For the exercises, I had to buy these basketball dribble glasses, which essentially take the floor away, and then I walk around with awareness of periphery and counter-movement (or what you described as optic flow). Walks down hallways/narrow corridors are more helpful to identify this for those starting out. Hope this helps anyone else trying to build that awareness in conjunction with other exercises.

[@NealHallinan]

I like walking in the woods surrounded by trees. Very easy to sense optic flow as the trees move past you.

[@gplor55]

how did you feel after those visual techniques? and how many follow-up sessions did you have with the therapist?

[@jasonn_lifts]

What about base in prisms?

[@isobel5175]

So if you dont need a prescription, would you recommend on a computer screen to get glasses with blue blocking lenses but with no alteration like + or -, or could people use + or - even if they dont normally because they are on the computer?

[@rosemarydermody3534]

I feel like I can never see properly and it makes me very anxious. I usually have to smudge my glasses and pull them low to calm down. Also bright lights make me dizzy. Wear tinted glasses in stores. You think this is anxiety or a real problem. Feel muc better in natural light. Make sense???? Rose from Rutherford referred by invision optics. ❤

[@hollyconger9037]

Why do I get nystagmus when I am severely stressed out and how does that affect me

[@billsemenoff]

Convergence in the sense of limit range of eye movement? Idk, frames make me feel more stress I think, because of the pressure on my ears and nose. I agree with frequent breaks to just free-range

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

Prisms dont work with convergence, you do exercises for that

[@HairyPixels]

Would a common optometrist be able to recommend glasses to help with the problems you're describing? I'm a programmer for many years now and I don't wear glasses (I have good vision) but I understand the need to have glasses that ease the burden of staring at screens for hours.

[@NealHallinan]

Yes, a normal optometrist can advise you.

[@HairyPixels]

@@NealHallinan Thanks again Neal. I just learned that "computer glasses" are a thing also. I didn't even realize you were talking about those!

[@nikolaisalikov1257]

Any recommendations for brand of computer glasses?

[@NealHallinan]

No. I get them off Amazon. Drugstores don't usually carry glasses under +1.0

[@playermartin286]

Are you suggesting something like prismatic glasses?

[@NealHallinan]

I am not. Just using me as an example and the understanding that excessive visual convergence can negatively influence physiology.

[@marcomotta2507]

Would a wide monitor be better to avoid eye convergence?

[@NealHallinan]

Possibly. I got one. Definitely easier than my laptop.

[@avijeetpandey5223]

Omg this is exactly what I have ..how can I fix it ...its sucking the life out of me

[@adriangpuiu]

a line from the 300 movie :" he narrowed his vision, he had to see far"

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

Are you still using prisms now? My opthalmalogist and developmental optometrist refused to give them and said its a brain/nerve not eye issue and prisms make it weaker/worse over time. I know some say it helps, some say it doesnt. Wondering how it is years later? I did try prism once but wrong rx so they gave me vertigo even at only 0.25 base RX (which is almost placebo at that low RX level)

[@NealHallinan]

I only wore them for 6 weeks. It’s always supposed to be temporary. And yes, it’s a brain issue. In the context of Postural Restoration, the prims are sometimes used to help the brain “sense” the ground again. They help the brain “re-ground”.

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

@@NealHallinan interesting! That makes sense, for me they were for slight misalignment (vertical) but some were for and some VERY against. However, how you used them makes sense!

[@frankducett9]

I'm trying to figure out if you're a con man or the best thing since cinnamon raisin bread. On one hand you scarily describe me perfectly, all of the visual, neck, breathing and palipatations. On the other hand your terminologies sound suspicious. But the facts you present are correct. So I gotta see more of your videos.

[@NealHallinan]

It’s all based on established neuroscience utilized by different disciplines. Unfortunately those disciplines don’t communicate.

[@dannybell3]

Does this issue extend to reading books?

[@NealHallinan]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@hollyconger9037]

Where does COPD and ASTHMA fit into all of this? R u saying healthy people can benefit from Postural restoration and people who have other ailments can't?

[@barteknarolski4654]

I disagree with most of your opinions about eyesight. I treated my eyesight myself as a symptom (from -3.25 to -0.5 diopters), but I found the cause a few years later when it got worse again. I appreciate the knowledge of PRI, but you are confusing cause with effect. the result of better body posture is a better working colon, which is responsible for myopia. Connect the dots🙂

[@CubedNightShot9777]

Did you improve your eyesight with triangulation and all of that?

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

Also some optemitrists refuse prisms because over time it can make your eyes worse. Its a band aid… binocular issues are nerve/brain issue. You dont want to compensate too long or the nerves get weaker. I know some give prism but it can help some or make some worse..My neuro optemetrist says the first thing he does is remove prism unless last case scenario. Also convergence issues are settled with exercises, not glasses..

[@riprightbodytight5231]

Now wonder I relax driving a car or getting out of house out side or balkony

[@riprightbodytight5231]

You should make a podcast episode with Andrew huberman