How spatial awareness affects kids with Meenal Agarwal
Release date: November 2, 2026
An underexamined consequence of screen time is the effect it has on kids’ spatial awareness. My guest this episode, Meenal Agarwal, is a board-certified optometrist, a spatial awareness expert, an authority on the eye-brain connection, and the author of the brand-new book, Stuck in a Flat World: How Screens Rewire Our Brains, Spatial Awareness, and Sense of Safety. Meenal and I discuss her work combining optometry, neuroscience, and lifestyle medicine; and we examine how vision influences kids’ cognition, focus, safety, and overall well-being. More information about Meenal and her book is below.
Biography of Meenal Agarwal
Dr. Meenal Agarwal is a board-certified optometrist, spatial awareness expert, and leading authority on the eye-brain connection, known for redefining vision as a gateway to cognition, longevity, and overall well-being. She takes a holistic, root-cause approach to eye health, integrating optometry, neuroscience, and lifestyle medicine to highlight how visual function impacts mental clarity, brain performance, and long-term health. Dr. Agarwal coined the term Spatial Awareness Processing Disorder (SAPD) to describe how screen-heavy, modern lifestyles can disrupt the brain’s ability to judge distance, track motion, and navigate real-world space. Through her work, she brings attention to the effects of digital overload on focus, safety, and presence, while offering practical, prevention-focused solutions. She is the host of the podcast Uncover Your Eyes: The Truth About Health & Wellness, where she challenges conventional thinking and empowers audiences to better understand their health. Dr. Agarwal has been featured on Fox News and The Social, and her upcoming book, Stuck in a Flat World: How Screens Rewire Our Brains, Spatial Awareness, and Sense of Safety (Nov. 2 2026), further explores the connection between vision, brain function, and modern life.
Links
Dr. Meenal Agarwal & Associates
Stuck in a Flat World: How Screens Rewire Our Brains, Spatial Awareness, and Sense of Safety
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