Can Virtual Reality (VR) damage your eyes?

[juliadoyle]

Probably one of the first things that most people assume when I tell them about VR is that it can damage your vision. This misconception was born probably because you need a headset to experience the VR environment. You put the headset on and the image is very close to your eyes. Because the VR headset is so close to your eyes, people assume it is like staring with your eyes right in front of the TV, smartphone or to a source of light.

So…can VR damage my eyes?

Research suggests that the correct answer is NO. Using the Virtual Reality headset will not damage your eyes, because it allows you to move your focus around. You will also need time to adjust to the VR environment and for this purpose, it is recommended that you start with shorter sessions of 10 minutes and slowly increase them to half an hour. You should also take breaks every half an hour from VR. If you feel like your eyes are tired, this is probably because you forget to blink and rehydrate your eyeballs. The same thing can also happen when you are not using the VR and you are focused on something, such as reading books. As for the concern regarding staring with your eyes directly into a light source, computer vision scientists explain that the light that comes from a VR headset can be compared to the light you will see when you are shopping for groceries at your local well-lit supermarket.

Even though there is no evidence that VR can damage your eyes, you should avoid using the headset for more than a few hours every day and take a break every half an hour.

 

[Maura N.]

Many people around me asked me the same question when I told them about my VR headset. Then, after I invited them to try it on, they changed their mind, even though they were reluctant at first. Even so, it is not recommended to stay in VR the whole day and breaks are important, just as you suggested.

 

[Oskar Kuusk]

The same debate happens each time a new technology appears and becomes popular. What are the side effects? How can it hurt your health? I remember when people recommended to only use the PC for 2 hours and now we use it at our daily jobs of 8+ hours. And we are doing this for over a decade and none of us got blind yet.

 

[EmilyWilkes]

VR won't damage anything unless you do something stupid or use it in a way it was not meant to be used to begin with. People are so creative these days in misusing items...