Vision Under Pressure: How Stress Affects Your Eyes with Counsellor, Louise Halling

In this episode of Eye Got You, Dr Valarie Jerome is joined by senior counsellor and therapist Louise Halling—host of BBC Four’s Walk Like a Duck—to explore how chronic stress impacts our eye health, mental health and overall wellbeing. From twitching eyelids and dry eyes to deeper inflammation, Dr Val and Louise unpack the physical toll of stress on the body, including lesser-known signs and symptoms you might be missing.

Together they cover:

- Fight, flight, freeze and fawn stress responses

- Eye issues linked to cortisol and inflammation

- Red flags that your stress is affecting your body

- How screen time impacts mental and eye health

- Realistic, accessible stress management tips

- Why even 5 minutes of sunlight can help

This is a calming, compassionate conversation about how to listen to your body, set boundaries with screens and people, and protect your mental and visual health—even when life is stressful. If your eyes (or brain) feel tired, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Louise and her work at https://www.louisehalling.com/

Connect with Dr. Valarie Jerome

Learn more about Dr Valarie’s work, community outreach, and professional services at ⁠https://www.drvalariejerome.com/⁠.

Instagram

⁠https://www.instagram.com/vjoptometrists/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/drvalariejerome⁠/

This podcast was recorded and produced by https://www.creativecontentstudio.co.uk/