Vision is Neurological - So Do We Change the Brain or Change Vision?
Yes! Vision is neurological, but successful input is the access point.
We’re often told:
“Change the brain, and you’ll change the body.”
There are entire books and therapies built around this idea. And while there’s truth to it, it misses something essential — input creates output.
Let’s reframe the conversation:
What if, instead of always trying to change the brain, we started with what the brain receives?
Think of the Brain as a Hard Drive
Your brain, like a hard drive, doesn’t create spontaneous function out of nothing. It’s not magic. It responds to various inputs, including movement, sound, light, touch, and gravity.
In fact, that’s precisely why I developed Functional Intelligence — to move beyond AI that mirrors behavior and toward systems that actually process new inputs and generate functional outputs.
Vision Isn’t Passive — It’s Movement
Vision isn’t just seeing. It’s an interaction. It’s how a baby responds to light, tracks an object, or notices a change in contrast. And when that vision stabilizes? It begins to organize everything else — from balance and breath to speech and swallowing.
Stimuli, Not Tasks
When we “train” vision too early with eye-hand coordination or tracking drills, we miss the foundation.
Start simpler.
- Catch your child’s gaze.
- Stay in their field.
- Don’t rush the object away.
- Wait for them to come back to it.
- Let them be successful — every time.
Even children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) can develop stronger visual skills this way. It’s not about structure alone (optic nerves, retinas). It’s about functional processing.
Catch the Vision, Catch the Brain
The method I use is simple and effective: “Catch the vision like you’re catching a fish.” Hold the object steady. Let them find it again and again. That repetition with success builds both confidence and neurology. Because when vision works, neurological change follows.