Virtual vision glasses. Are virtual reality glasses harmful to vision?
We asked the doctors if the virtual reality helmet is dangerous for children. If everything is clear with adults (the vestibular apparatus can be trained), then a lot of questions arise with the growing human body. Age restrictions of manufacturers
First, you should pay attention to what the manufacturers themselves indicate. For example, u and have an age restriction 13 years and higher. Y - 12 years... Company Htc directly does not indicate specific age, but simply mentions the undesirability of using a helmet by children. But how were these restrictions determined? Is this a legal formality or is it really a threat to the health of the child?
Optometrist and Professor of Visual Sciences, Psychology and Neurology at the University of California at Berkeley (USA) Martin Banks(Martin Banks) says he has yet to see direct evidence of the negative effects of VR headset use by children. " I think that all manufacturers start from the very fact of child development, which slows down with reaching adolescence, in which they can already play safely for their health. Therefore, they advise people not to allow the use of (VR-helmet, - author's note) during the period of significant development of the child».
That is, manufacturers of VR headsets are simply being cautious in light of the fact that virtual reality is a relatively new technology, and we simply may not know its side effects, which will manifest themselves in long-term observation.
Professor Banks believes that virtual reality headset displays that are close to the eyes can exert the same strain on vision as a phone or a 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 often it is caused by such hobbies as reading books and working at a computer. Nearby objects you distinguish well and clearly see all the details, and distant ones are blurry, it is difficult to focus on them.
However mister 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, as optics of a virtual reality headset, it stimulates the vision to observe a fictitious distant object. This deceptive effect reduces the stress on the eye muscles, therefore, without causing disturbances in the process of the visual organs. That is, a VR headset can be less problematic than books or smartphones.
Stereoscopic deception
At the same time professor Peter Howarth(Peter Howarth), being an expert in optics and a teacher in the field of visualization, notes that the difference between a person's natural view of the world around them and viewing stereoscopic three-dimensional scenes through the optics of a virtual reality helmet is quite significant. In the headset, an imitation of a real image takes place, which palms off different pictures to the eye.
« The ability to see and distinguish between details depends on the formation of a sharp image on the retina. Again, intermittent use of the VR system should not adversely affect vision, even if the image quality is significantly inferior to that of the real world.", - assures Peter.
Moreover, he believes that such devices (VR-helmets) will help medicine to cope with the problem of the "lazy eye" (amblyopia), for example. That is, virtual reality not only practically does not spoil 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 headset:
- Visual and vestibular-induced motion sickness
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If you have ever experienced serious discomfort on a roller coaster or other extreme attractions in an amusement park, then you will face the same with a VR headset.
- Latency leads to the effect of nausea
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Manufacturers pay special attention to this aspect - the physical rotation of the user's head and the subsequent shift of the camera angle in the virtual world occur with a small time difference, called a delay. With prolonged use and in case of insufficient performance of the system, this leads to nausea, motion sickness, headaches and other similar "seasickness" effects.
Some games offer VR headset owners full body tracking with movement transfer to virtual space. Bumping into corners or bumping into anything in the room isn't a problem if your eyes can't see anything other than the headset displays. Manufacturers equip their systems with warning software to prevent this from happening. But with a child it may not work.
- The brain needs time to return to the real world and adapt
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Simplified rules and the maximum effect of deceiving the brain through the visual and auditory organs makes a person immediately immerse a third of his nervous system in the virtual world. After one active game, coordination and postural stability are impaired. It is not recommended, for example, to drive or operate complex machinery, which is also stated in the operating instructions.
Children can use a VR headset, but be very careful
You cannot ban a virtual reality helmet for children - there is no direct threat. But there are many indirect dangers that can arise without adult supervision. From the likelihood of a fatal blow to the corner of the table to the psychological addiction to VR games.
However, the same can be attributed to, for example, a smartphone. A child can look at his screen and fall through the hatch, or experience an acute neurosis when the phone is lost, right? So the manufacturers simply secured themselves at the legal level that if a child under 12 got into trouble due to the use of a VR helmet, then it will be difficult for parents who have allowed this to sue the manufacturer.
Virtual reality glasses create additional game options with sharper effects while minimizing impact on vision. Most of the problems with the device are associated with its effect on the nervous system and drawing a person into the world of the game and withdrawal from the real world. A negative effect on the eyes is created only with excessive enthusiasm for glasses, if you use them for 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 a plot, using only a smartphone or computer additionally. They are quite light, the average weight is 300 g. They have elastic straps in their arsenal to alleviate the load on the head and neck, but long wearing harms the muscles of the neck, press on the bridge of the nose and loads the eyes. The body is made of plastic or cardboard, the inner part is fabric or rubber. They have a screen for one or two eyes (in this case, there is a partition between them). For the mobility of the image, a gyroscope or other motion sensors function that record the user's movements.
The first 30 minutes are not perceptible for a person, although they already affect the body and the first signs of fatigue appear after an hour of use. This is a game for children and adults that sends a person to another reality. Doctors note the fact of addiction, especially adolescents, to such a hobby. They are dangerous for an unformed psyche, a person can get very carried away, lose the sense of time, which causes the body to suffer, depletes and deteriorates vision.
It is worth noting that the effect of the glasses themselves has not been clinically confirmed. It is often dangerous for children to play certain games that cause them to completely immerse themselves in a world of illusion. Vision suffers from prolonged use of the device.
Benefits and harm to vision
Myopia can result from frequent and prolonged wearing of such a product.
There is no consensus on the impact of virtual reality glasses. Many parents claim that they spoil the eyes and have a bad effect on the child's psyche. There is no unequivocal statement on this score. With prolonged wearing of glasses (more than 40 minutes a day), there is a strong tension on the muscles of the eyes, they begin to water and swell. The systematic use of VR glasses can cause myopia, glaucoma and other pathologies of the visual system along with a computer or TV screen.
In the instructions for some VR gadgets, manufacturers warn: if you walk down the street in a helmet or glasses, climb stairs, approach an open window or take sharp objects in your hand, you may have health problems.
But these are requirements for safe use. The dangers that VR gadgets can bring to health are vaguely discussed. Doctors are also in no hurry to comment: there are still few statistics, and the one that exists is difficult to generalize, because the devices are very different.
Especially in the safety instructions, there is a clause where it is forbidden to ride a bike or drive a car in a VR helmet.
There is still no standard that would regulate the main characteristics of VR technology - picture quality, brightness, frame rate, dimensions and weight. There are also no regulations regarding the impact of these gadgets on health.
One in 4000 users experience dizziness, epileptic seizures, or darkening of the eyes.
Who are VR gadgets contraindicated?
The safety instructions for the Rift and Gear VR posted on the Oculus website officially and categorically prohibit children under the age of 13 from using the device. Similar restrictions can be found with other manufacturers of VR technology. At the age of 13-14, the visual system continues to form. So it's better not to use VR gadgets.
In addition to age restrictions, manufacturers recommend that pregnant women, suffering from binocular vision impairments, psychiatric disorders, and heart disease, consult a doctor when using VR helmets.
Age restrictions are associated with the fear of manufacturers, because there is very little data on the use at an earlier age.
Pavel Brand
Neurologist, Ph.D.
Effects on vision
This is how virtual reality glasses look from the back side.Our eyes are natural photosensors. They record a light signal and send it to the brain. The brain compares the pictures received from the right and left eyes, and analyzes the information received. For example, to determine the distance to the nearest object.
When inconsistent information comes from the right and left eyes - say, one picture is brighter or less sharp, or the images have different scales - for the brain, analyzing these pictures becomes a challenge. If the difference is small, the brain will try to solve the problem with the eye muscles: it will make us shift our point of view, refocus the lenses, squint or blink. At the same time, even a slight desynchronization of pictures, if taken for a long time, is enough for the appearance of burst blood vessels in the eyes, headaches and other "delights" of rapid eye fatigue.
The dynamic and at the same time poorly coordinated plot of VR content does not leave the brain time to analyze the incoming information and adapt. The result is migraines, nausea, vomiting, pain and "sand" in the eyes.
VR has a negative effect on the organ of vision, and at the same time on everything connected with it (it can provoke an epileptic seizure or acute dizziness, for example). In addition, VR, like any gaming gadget, leads to physical inactivity.
Pavel Brand
Neurologist, Ph.D.
Influence on the vestibular apparatus
The vestibular apparatus is our internal organ of balancing, it allows us to maintain balance. It is a complex complex of numerous balance receptors, supplemented with information from touch, sight and hearing.
The symptoms are the same as for motion sickness. Nausea and vomiting are the first flowers of this bouquet. Visual perception may change when the image is blurred or doubled. Other symptoms are disorientation, increased sweating and / or salivation, dizziness, pain in the head or eyes, and lethargy.
The vestibular apparatus can malfunction with a rapid change in spatial orientation in a VR helmet, much like a sea roll.
VR and discomfort: different for everyone
The same person can ride a roller coaster - and then turn green with nausea when a little rocking on a pleasure boat. Someone starts to feel nauseous in the cinema a minute after the start of the 3D session, others watch 3D without problems for hours.
It's the same with VR gadgets. One and the same person can experience a wide range of sensations from the same VR content in a different way. This is especially true for the state of fatigue, lack of sleep, jet lag, alcohol or drug intoxication and hangover, stress, anxiety, colds, migraines and even poor digestion.
“It is not comfortable or beneficial for your health to constantly use the monitor right in front of your eyes.”
This solution provides a comfortable use of virtual reality technology for the eyes. 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 can be different for each device. For example, in Oculus Rift DK1 the optical image is infinitely far away. And in Oculus Rift DK2 the illusion is created that it is located approximately 1.4 meters.
This article describes how lenses work under ideal conditions. Not all virtual reality devices can provide them. Therefore, sometimes a kind of interference occurs. For example, geometric distortion and chromatic aberration. We will talk about them next time.
The note:
Having worked for almost a year on the Russian virtual reality market, more than 3000 people who tried to immerse themselves for the first time and experience all the sensations of helmets, controllers, simulators and virtual reality games. We conducted surveys and tests of VR headsets in focus groups, asked for opinions and analyzed the results from a large number of Virtuality Club visitors. Based on our experience, we concluded that the vast majority of players who have tried virtual reality are left with a positive experience. Only 15% of the total number of respondents reported minor discomfort after the experience of use Oculus Rift DK2... Most of the negative sensations are inherent in players wearing glasses and suffering from vision problems. At the moment, the DK2 comes with additional lenses for people with minor myopia, but we hope that the developers of helmets in future versions will come up with a lens mechanism that adapts to people with visual impairments.
Virtual reality is luring more and more people, especially young people. The game captures the authenticity of events and sensations. And to immerse yourself in the mysterious world, you only need a smartphone and glasses to convey the plot. But, no matter how interesting the game is, a reasonable question arises: are glasses harmful for virtual reality? To answer it, you should consider the main characteristics of the device.
Are virtual reality glasses harmful to vision?
Device weight
Except for the wires, the weight of the device itself, at first glance, is small, about 300 grams. This is about the same as monitor headphones weigh. And here you should draw a parallel and remember what the feelings of the headphones are after sitting in them for an hour. Not only the ears begin to hurt, but also the head, crown, and neck. This is due to the tension in the neck muscles. The same symptoms occur after prolonged wearing of glasses.
In addition, the helmet is worn over the head and wraps around its entire volume. Despite the presence of elastic straps, which are designed to relieve pressure, the helmet presses not only on the head, but also on the bridge of the nose. As a result, in addition to the headache, there is also pain in the nose.
Of course, it is impossible to judge the harm of glasses by this parameter. After all, it all depends on the time spent in them.
Interesting! In half an hour, the discomfort will not be felt, but in an hour the first signs of fatigue will appear
Detachment from the real world
More and more often in the news there are stories about young people who, while playing in virtual reality, completely detach from reality. They forget to eat, drink, sleep. Losing track of time leads to serious health consequences. This manifests itself not only in mental and physical fatigue, but also in exhaustion. In some cases, it is not possible to save a person who has played before losing his pulse. He is dying of dehydration or starvation.
But it is also impossible to talk about the specific harm of glasses in this case. After all, it is not the device itself that is to blame, but the exciting plot of the game, the perceptive and addicting nature of the player.
Harmful consequences
Back in the 80s of the last century, after playing with virtual glasses, not only headaches appeared, but also dizziness, nausea, up to vomiting. Despite the technological breakthrough and improvement of glasses, the problem is still relevant today. All these are the consequences of psychological and physical stress.
In addition, disorientation often sets in after prolonged play. This is because the brain actually receives signals for various actions from several senses. They are all consistent with each other, and therefore no failure occurs. In virtual reality, the senses do not work synchronously, and therefore discord occurs. Cases have been recorded when, during or after a long game, a person poured a drink not into his mouth, but, for example, into his eye.
From the point of view of scientists, this is due to the low resolution and frequent frame changes in the game.
Important! Scientists and doctors do not recommend the use of glasses for playing children under 13 years old
Damage to vision
But the most important question: are glasses harmful to vision? Here, the opinions of not only players, but also many experts differ. Most people think that a helmet is no more dangerous for the eyes than a computer monitor with a medium diagonal.
The other half are convinced that glasses put a heavy strain on vision, as a result of which it deteriorates. And there is evidence of this fact. Long and frequent sitting in a virtual helmet, as well as at a computer, will eventually lead to a deterioration in visual acuity.
Long stay in the virtual world can lead to anomalies of refraction of vision. In this case, such eye diseases occur in which the image is focused in front of the retina, and not on it.
It is impossible to say unequivocally whether glasses for virtual reality harm health and vision. It all depends on many factors: the duration of being in the fictional world, the psyche and emotional state of the player, the quality of the device.
One thing is for sure: the main thing is to know when to stop, and then you can enjoy the plot without harm to health.