Are virtual reality glasses harmful to vision? What harm do virtual reality glasses cause to vision and the body?
Glasses virtual reality create additional game options with clearer effects, with minimal impact on vision. Most of the problems from the device are related to its effect on the nervous system and drawing a person into the world of the game and away from the real world. A negative effect on the eyes is created only by excessive use of glasses; if you use them no more than 30 minutes a day, there will be no harm. It is advisable to limit the use of the device to children under 12 years of age.
What are they and how do they work?
VR glasses are a device that allows you to immerse yourself in a game or story using only a smartphone or computer. They are quite light average weight is 300 g. They have elastic straps to soften the load on the head and neck, but long-term wearing harms the neck muscles, puts pressure on the bridge of the nose and strains the eyes. The body is made of plastic or cardboard, the inside is fabric or rubber. They have a screen for one or two eyes (in this case, there is a partition between them). For image mobility, there is a gyroscope or other motion sensors that record the user’s movements.
The first 30 minutes are not noticeable to a person, although they already affect the body and the first signs of fatigue appear after an hour of use. This game is for children and adults, which sends a person to another reality. Doctors note the fact of addiction, especially among adolescents, to such a hobby. They are dangerous for an unformed psyche; a person can get carried away, lose the sense of time, which causes the body to suffer, exhaustion and vision deterioration.
It is worth noting that the effects of the glasses themselves have not been clinically proven. It is often dangerous for children to play certain games that make them completely immerse themselves in a world of illusions. Vision suffers from prolonged use of the device.
Benefits and harm to vision
Myopia can be the result of frequent and long-term wearing of such a product.
There is no consensus on the impact of virtual reality glasses. Many parents claim that they damage the eyes and have a bad effect on the child’s psyche. There is no clear statement on this matter. When wearing glasses for a long time (more than 40 minutes a day), severe tension occurs on the eye muscles, they begin to water and swell. The systematic use of VR glasses can cause myopia, glaucoma and other pathologies of the visual system, just like a computer or TV screen.
We asked doctors whether a virtual reality helmet was dangerous for children. If everything is clear with adults (the vestibular apparatus can be trained), then with a growing human body many questions arise. Manufacturer age restrictions
First, you should pay attention to what the manufacturers themselves indicate. For example, and has an age limit 13 years and higher. U - 12 years. Company HTC directly does not indicate specific age, but simply mentions the undesirability of using a helmet for children. But how were these restrictions determined? Is this a legal formality or is it actually a threat to the child’s health?
Optometrist and professor of visual sciences, psychology and neuroscience at the University of California at Berkeley (USA) Martin Banks(Martin Banks) says that he has not yet seen direct evidence of a negative effect from the use of a virtual reality helmet by children. " I think all manufacturers are starting from the very fact of children’s development, which slows down with achievement adolescence, in which they can already play safely for their health. Therefore, they advise people not to allow the use of (a VR helmet - author's note) during the period of significant development of the child».
That is, manufacturers of VR headsets are simply cautious in light of the fact that virtual reality is a relatively new technology, and we simply may not be familiar with it side effects which will appear in long-term follow-up.
Professor Banks believes that the displays of a virtual reality helmet located close to the eyes can cause the same strain on vision as a phone or book when viewed from a short distance. As a result, this will result in the development of myopia (myopia). This problem is very common on our planet, and is often caused by such hobbies as reading books and working on the computer. You can distinguish nearby objects well and clearly see all the details, but distant ones are blurry and difficult to focus on.
However, Mr. Banks notes one important difference between a book/smartphone and a VR headset. In the first case, vision is focused on one point close to the pupils. When the optics of a virtual reality headset stimulate the vision to observe a fictitious distant object. This deceptive effect reduces the load on the eye muscles, therefore, without causing disturbances in the functioning of the visual organs. That is, a VR helmet can have less problems than books or smartphones.
Stereoscopic deception
At the same time, professor Peter Howarth(Peter Howarth) as an expert in optics and teacher in the field of imaging notes that the difference between a person's natural view of the world and viewing stereoscopic three-dimensional scenes through the optics of a virtual reality helmet is quite significant. The headset imitates a real image, presenting different pictures to the eye.
« The ability to see and distinguish details depends on the formation of a sharp image on the retina. Again, using the VR system intermittently should not have any impact negative influence on vision, even if the image quality is significantly inferior to the picture of the real world", - assures Peter.
Moreover, he believes that such devices (VR helmets) will help medicine cope with the problem of “lazy eye” (amblyopia), for example. That is, virtual reality not only practically does not damage vision, but even with a reasonable approach will help humanity get rid of physiological problems.
Doctors are aware of the following problems when using a VR helmet:
- Visual and vestibular-induced motion sickness
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If you've ever experienced serious discomfort on roller coasters or other extreme rides at amusement parks, then you'll experience the same thing with a VR headset.
- Latency causes nausea effect
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Manufacturers pay attention to this aspect Special attention- the physical rotation of the user's head and the subsequent shift of the camera angle in the virtual world occur with a slight difference in time, called delay. With prolonged use and in case of insufficient system performance, this leads to nausea, motion sickness, headaches and other similar “motion sickness” effects.
Some games offer owners of a VR helmet full body tracking with transfer of movements into virtual space. Bumping into corners or hitting anything in the room won't be a problem if your eyes can see nothing but the headset's displays. Manufacturers equip their systems with warning software so that this doesn't happen. But this may not work with a child.
- The brain needs time to return to real world and adapt
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Simplified rules and maximum effect tricking the brain through visual and auditory organs forces a person to immediately immerse a third of his nervous system V virtual world. After one active game, coordination and postural stability are impaired. Not recommended, such as driving or operating complex technology, as stated in the operating instructions.
Children can use a VR headset, but be very careful
You cannot ban a virtual reality headset for children - there is no direct threat. But there are many indirect dangers that can arise without adult supervision. Starting from the likelihood of a fatal blow to the corner of the table and ending with psychological dependence on VR games.
However, the same can be applied, for example, to a smartphone. A child can look at its screen and fall through a hatch, or experience acute neurosis when losing a phone, right? So, the manufacturers simply protected themselves at the legal level, so that if a child under 12 years of age got into trouble due to the use of a VR helmet, then the parents who allowed this to happen would find it difficult to sue the manufacturer for anything.
“It’s not comfortable or healthy to constantly use a monitor right in front of your eyes.”
This solution provides eye-friendly use of virtual reality technology. It seems to the human eye that we are looking at an image that is at a sufficient distance. The length of this virtual gap may vary for each device. For example, in Oculus Rift DK1 the optical image is infinitely far away. And in Oculus Rift DK2 creates the illusion that it is located approximately 1.4 meters.
This article describes the operation of lenses in ideal conditions. Not all virtual reality devices can provide them. Therefore, sometimes some kind of interference occurs. For example, geometric distortion and chromatic aberration. We'll talk about them next time.
The note:
Having been working for almost a year now Russian market virtual reality in our club visited more than 3000 people, who for the first time tried to immerse themselves and experience all the sensations from helmets, controllers, simulators and virtual reality games. We conducted surveys and tests of VR headsets in focus groups, found out opinions and analyzed the results from large quantity Virtuality Club visitors. Based on our practice, we have concluded that the vast majority of players who try virtual reality leave with positive impressions. Only 15% of the total number of respondents reported minor discomfort after using the product Oculus Rift DK2. Most of the negative feelings are inherent in players who use glasses and suffer from vision problems. IN this moment The DK2 comes with additional lenses for people with slight myopia, but we hope that helmet developers in future versions will come up with a lens mechanism that adapts to people with visual impairments.
Virtual reality glasses are a device that allows you not only to view a picture or video, but also to get into environment by obtaining a 3D image. In addition to the visual effect, the glasses also create an acoustic effect of presence in space.
The device is a box, most often made of plastic, equipped with lenses and a screen with a partition. Using a partition, the image is transmitted separately to each eye. The glasses are equipped with a special gyroscope sensor to track head movements, as a result a person feels “being” in virtual reality.
With their help, you can watch movies and videos, play fully immersive games, virtual travel, view 3D photos.
Types and their features
Exists a large assortment Virtual reality devices are divided by type into:
- Virtual reality glasses for smartphones. Using VR glasses is only possible if you have a smartphone. The nature of the image is determined by the quality of the smartphone screen. They do not need a powerful PC. They are portable, allowing you to play, watch movies, photos anywhere. They give you the opportunity to play full-fledged mobile games.
- Virtual reality glasses for PC. To use them you must install special programs and applications. They only work in conjunction with a computer, allowing you to view 3D movies next to your PC. Such devices are not portable. Play modern games for such devices it is possible, but only if you have a powerful PC. When using regular games that are not designed for VR glasses, the 3D image will be of poor quality.
- Autonomous virtual reality glasses. These helmets do not require a smartphone or PC. They have a powerful processor, RAM, battery, flash memory. This device can be used anywhere.
- Virtual reality glasses for set-top boxes (consoles). Used in conjunction with its attachment. You cannot play regular games that are not designed for VR glasses. Connecting regular games via USB cable to PC will result in poor 3D image quality. Watching movies is only possible next to the console because the glasses are not portable.
When immersed in the virtual world, the user may lose a sense of reality. As a result, a person, and especially a child, may fall or hit an object. Therefore, many manufacturers of VR devices indicate age restrictions of 12 years and above. The use of a helmet by children is undesirable due to their weak vestibular apparatus.
Virtual reality devices are considered safe for vision when used for a short period of time. Using virtual reality devices intermittently does not have a negative impact on the visual organs. In this case, the recommended time, according to the developers, is no more than half an hour.
Users with various eye diseases should first consult a specialist about their use. People who have undergone laser vision correction also need to consult a specialist to prevent unwanted consequences. At serious illnesses visual impairments such as astigmatism, the use of virtual reality helmets is not recommended.
You cannot put on VR glasses if there is no smartphone inside, and look through them at a bright light source. This may negatively affect your vision.
Principle of operation
A helmet or virtual reality glasses fit well on your head, allowing you to get involved in a game or video in a couple of minutes. Virtual reality devices are a plastic or cardboard case equipped with lenses. In some models, the inner part in contact with the face is made of fabric or rubber. Behind the aspherical lenses there is one or two screens. In models for smartphones, an opening curtain is installed on the front panel, which effortlessly opens the smartphone camera at the right time. In the middle of the body there is a partition that does not allow one eye to view the image prepared for the other eye. Each eye receives its own image and sees it from its own perspective.
The result is a 3D image. To ensure that the 3D image does not remain motionless, a gyroscope is used. It tracks the position of the head and provides the opportunity to fully look around the depths of the virtual world. New models are also equipped with other sensors that track the user’s position in space and transmit data via USB to a PC. Using the button, the user can select menu options or perform other actions.
At what age can a child be allowed to use virtual reality glasses and helmets?
Major manufacturers of VR glasses set a limit for children, limiting their age to 12 years. The use of helmets by children is only possible under adult supervision. The visual system of children is formed before this age, and the use of such technologies can be dangerous. Some users of VR glasses may experience blurred vision, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and other annoying sensations while viewing virtual reality content.
Using virtual reality devices for a long time can lead to severe eye strain and the occurrence of various neurological diseases.
If a child experiences eye fatigue after using virtual reality devices, headache, you need to contact a specialist for a vision test. Eye microsurgery specialists do not recommend using VR glasses for children under 6 years of age. For them, they are dangerous and can lead to the development of pathologies of the organs of vision, as well as mental disorders.
Prolonged immersion in virtual space can lead to abnormal refraction of vision. At the same time, there is a risk of developing diseases of the organs of vision, in which the image is formed in front of the retina, and not on it. Children over 16 years old are allowed to wear VR glasses for no more than half an hour. Parents should supervise their children's use of VR devices to avoid negative consequences.
On March 28, the era of virtual reality officially began. The first new generation Oculus Rift helmet has gone on sale.
The possibility of maximum immersion into a fictional three-dimensional world has long attracted bigwigs from the entertainment sector and IT, but no one has yet succeeded in making a mass-produced virtual reality device. Thanks to the Oculus Rift helmet, March 28 may be the date such a device appears.
However, no matter how new it is or its competitors in the form of HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR and Sony PlayStation Whether VR succeeds or fails, the fact is clear: these headsets can create the illusion of being in a virtual world like no other device has ever done before. Of course, we do not take into consideration specialized virtual reality complexes in the service of military and special civilian services.
All these years, virtual reality was outside the mass market, and participants in laboratory experiments were, by default, observed by many specialists, if only because of the enormous cost of the equipment. Entering the mass market of VR devices ( common abbreviation forVirtual Reality - literally "virtual reality") poses questions to society that manufacturers of these devices are in no hurry to answer: how safe it is, what are the rules of use, and whether the majority of consumers can really use virtual reality helmets without harm to their health.
This “frivolity” can be explained by two main reasons. The main and main prosaic thing is the pursuit of commercial gain, because the sooner a product is released, the more money the manufacturer will earn and the larger market share it will be able to win. It would seem that regulatory authorities should limit the appetite for profit, but here the manufacturers of VR helmets have prepared a saving excuse: formally, virtual reality helmets have been produced for decades and have not caused any significant problems for users.
New or well forgotten old?
Here, however, two circumstances need to be clarified. Without exception, all helmets of previous generations failed in the mass market and were distributed in a maximum circulation of several thousand, which means that there can be no talk of any mass experience of use. And secondly: they could not boast of such an impact on humans as the new generation of devices.
By and large, previous attempts to transfer the player into virtual space boiled down to the fact that a static monitor screen was reduced and turned into a low-quality helmet screen in front of the player’s eyes, sometimes with some stereoscopy (volume vision) effect. The fundamental difference between the new generation of devices is that they quite accurately convey the movement of the head in virtual space, and some models even recognize the movement of the player in the room, including his hands, and correlate it with the game character.
This seemingly small detail radically changes the user’s perception: the brain quickly begins to associate itself with the virtual body (protagonist), and this association is fundamentally more complete than when reading a picture from a monitor or TV. But this also implies a whole series of potential problems and threats, starting with dizziness and nausea, which almost all owners of new products experience, ending with possible mental disorders after long-term use in games associated, for example, with violence. In order to determine the possible harm and benefits of virtual reality helmets, we talked with experts in the field of psychology and psychotherapy, and also conducted several experiments.
Can a new generation virtual reality helmet harm the psyche?
Olga Dobrushina, neurologist, CEO International Institute psychosomatic health:
- Can a computer game, film or book harm the psyche? There are many factors here - it all depends on the type of personality, on how much a person is immersed in the virtual environment. A virtual reality helmet probably does provide a greater immersion effect compared to a computer, but this issue still needs scientific evidence. Among the side effects of VR helmets, which are indicated by the manufacturers themselves, are dizziness and nausea, and in very rare cases (1 in 4000) - convulsions and epileptic seizures.
However, we can already state that people with disabilities should use the helmet with caution. psychological disorders such as perception disorders, problems in mental development etc. Those who are depressed or have an anxiety disorder should also avoid wearing a helmet.
We were able to draw such conclusions thanks to our extensive experience working with these devices: our institution has been cooperating for several years with the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University, where research is being conducted on virtual reality and its impact on humans.
The neurologist especially noted that, as in the case of computer games, it is necessary to clearly distinguish real life and virtual life: do not run away into a beautiful virtual world from solving problems. And the main risk group here are children and adolescents, as well as people with a tendency to addictive behavior. However, to confirm the thesis that a helmet is more harmful than some more familiar means of computer leisure, there are not enough statistics on its use and specialized research.
Sergey Martynov, psychotherapist, general director of the Prosvet center for psychological assistance :
My advice to anyone who has doubts before using a VR headset is not to be lazy and consult with a psychotherapist familiar with negative impact VR Despite the fact that the technology is really new and there is no medical practice yet, a psychotherapist will probably be able to point you to possible complications or negative effects that may occur specifically for you. 
The universal warnings are as follows: pregnant women, elderly people and people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, epilepsy and other severe mental illnesses, as well as visual impairments should refrain from virtual reality. Children under 13 years of age should not play with helmets, or use them under adult supervision. Playing for long periods of time is not a good idea for anyone, regardless of gender or age, as it can negatively impact hand-eye coordination, balance, and the ability to multitask.
The International Institute of Psychosomatic Health was one of the first in Russia to begin treating certain mental disorders by immersing the patient in virtual reality. We did not fail to take advantage of the experience of the institute’s specialists and carried out several experiments. The first of them was devoted to a therapy session with the participation of a patient suffering from arachnophobia (pathological fear of spiders).
As it turned out, in addition to various phobias, VR helmets are used to treat anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, as well as to diagnose and train cognitive functions (memory, attention, spatial thinking, etc.). Particularly effective is the treatment of aerophobia, a common disorder in which a person is afraid of using airplanes.
In the most severe cases, panic attacks occur even at the sight of some parts of the interior of the aircraft cabin. Thanks to virtual reality technology, the patient is first shown toy models of airplanes, then more and more similar to real planes, invite a person to go inside the plane, take off, and gradually increase the time of the virtual flight. In combination with psychotherapy, you can get very good and quick results.
However, here lies one of the most great dangers- According to official statistics alone, there are now more than 10 million patients in the world suffering from various phobias. If we consider that a considerable part of people do not recognize their mental disorder, the actual number may increase several times. And since modern virtual reality helmets immerse you in a situation so well that they can be a medicine, it means that their uncontrolled use can cause comparable harm.
A person who has, say, a hidden fear of open spaces (agoraphobia) suddenly finds himself in a gaming situation in the middle of huge field and goes into a state of panic. Such stressful situation depending on the strength of the effect, it can provoke side effects - from short-term disturbances of perception and poor health to a heart attack.
Alas, the “bright” side is best studied new technology- that is, its use in psychotherapy. All experts agree that there are neither sufficient statistics nor clinical studies to introduce any regulatory rules. However, we can give recommendations that could protect you and your loved ones.
First of all, you should be honest with yourself, if you know about any problems, even if you yourself do not consider them serious, carefully study the multimedia product (game, movie) that you will watch in the helmet. Prepare a place for the game: remove sharp and fragile objects, most users, under the influence of the picture, begin to move, as in the game, and even dodge blows. If the game may contain scenes that would seem unpleasant to you, ask another person to stay with you, it is not at all necessary to tell him about the reason - he is unlikely to refuse to get acquainted with a technical novelty.
All games coming to market are subject to mandatory certification indicating age and listing scenes, be it violence, drug use, obscene language, etc. Obviously, if virtual reality technology really becomes widespread, additional certification will be required indicating potentially traumatic scenes when using VR headsets. But until this happens, taking care of your health is entirely in your hands.
Like any new technology, VR headsets take time. Who knows, perhaps in the near future in our city clinics, therapy sessions using virtual reality will become as commonplace as, for example, physiotherapy, and content for home entertainment will be guaranteed to be safe.
