{ # customize $/, but only inside this code block:
    local $/ = "----------\n";
    while (<FILE>) {
        chomp;  # this removes $/ from the end
        my ( $image, @attributes ) = split /\n/;
        $image = s/^image:\s+(.*)/\L($1)/;

        next unless ( exists $db->{$image} );

        # do something with @attributes...
    }
}
# now $/ is back to normal
# (updated to add chomp call)