Habits to protect our eyes (and brain) from using VR (in VaM or general)

[haroldwithlove]

I just noticed some articles on the health issues related to VR

Developer warns VR headset damaged eyesight - BBC News

Virtual Reality (VR) Can Damage Your Eyes Permanently - BBC (digitalphablet.com)

It particular it quotes:

Use of VR even for 30 minutes can be severely lethal for eyes and brain. That is the reason why most people feel nauseous after using VR headsets. The rapid growth of VR all around the world is an alarming situation which can further add the number into Myopia patients.

Although it is a concern, I feel like the slow motion/intense scene free game like VaM shouldn't have much of such issues. I personally only wear headsets for 30min~60min at one time. And I try to make the scenes dim...

Does anybody in our community have experienced any sickness for using VR in VaM that last more than a short while after taking off headset? What are your habits of playing VaM in VR to avoid sickness?

 

[Joe6Pack]

You lost me at the word "lethal", maybe someone should bing that word up, a synonym is FATAL as in Death. So, I have to ask myself hearing this kind of doom and gloom. Just HOW different is it when comparing staring a screen glued to your face VS a screen that sits in front of you as you're glued to YOUR seat playing. In BOTH instances, you'd move your eyes to look around, hence having eye movement trackers.

I'd chock this story up to click bait to fool the easily fooled. The BBC hasn't been decent in quite a few years, get your news elsewhere.

 

[haroldwithlove]

You lost me at the word "lethal", maybe someone should bing that word up, a synonym is FATAL as in Death. So, I have to ask myself hearing this kind of doom and gloom. Just HOW different is it when comparing staring a screen glued to your face VS a screen that sits in front of you as you're glued to YOUR seat playing. In BOTH instances, you'd move your eyes to look around, hence having eye movement trackers.

I'd chock this story up to click bait to fool the easily fooled. The BBC hasn't been decent in quite a few years, get your news elsewhere.

I guess the key difference between VR and other electronics is that we "have to" focus our eyes on something (completely unaware of ambient space)... I personally don't believe most scenes in VaM could harm our eyes (I have never played any other VR games).

Ps: I kinda agree with you on (some ariticles of) BBC, haha

 

[HolySchmidt]

I agree with @Joe6Pack . It's a screen, like a computer display. Get your eyes some rest from time to time (looking in the most far distance you can find, relaxes the eye msucles) and you should be fine. I use my headset for hours and I notice it. But like with everything, even books, do some other stuff afterwards. Take a walk, whatever. Go analog.

 

[TToby]

Yes, I have some health issues from using VaM and VR.
But I use it sometimes for 4-8h per session, several days a week
My health issues are (till now): all sorts of sore eyes and sometimes even conjunctivitis.
My Dry Eye Syndrom, which I had already before from my long life as an IT/graphics guy, has grown much severe,... up to a point where I sometimes have slight issues having a clear sight while driving in my car.
Please check Wikipedia for the symptoms.
I use "artificial tear" eye-drops every evening, and medical drops if it grows severe.
Very good for us VR-people: Eye-drops as a spray! Just spray it on your closed eye lids every some hours when using your hmd.
Though, this will not keep me from using VR! I keep you informed if I will ever change my mind

 

[Jiraiya]

4-8h sessions is insane for any screen.
Take breaks every 15m from VR to do stretch your muscles (in the eyes!). Focus on different distance objects, walk around. Shift your focus back and forth from far to near objects. This doesn't have to be long, but regular. Every few hours take a much longer break and make sure all your muscles get a bit of a stretch.
DO NOT NEGLECT THIS OR YOU WILL PAY LATER IN LIFE.
Because you can't just "glance to the side" of a VR screen it's very important you take regular breaks and give your eyes a chance to focus on other things, take it from somebody who had perfect eyesight from birth but is rapidly losing it due to over use of screens, take those breaks.
These are general health tips, it's not the fault of VR but we are doing things our body wasn't designed to do and especially not for extended periods of time.

 

[TToby]

You are absolutely right @Jiraiya ! Everybody should do this if possible!
My example was only on how NOT to do it and what to do if it is allready too late
After a long working life of starring at a computer screen for 4-8h a day, I may just only be good as an bad example for others.

But getting back to the topic: Within more than 5 years of intensive VR usage I can say: No significant change of my prescription lenses values in that time! I am short-sighted with 3.5 diopters and I am using prescription lens adapters in VR. I now starting to get a bit far-sighted, but that may be just from being old.
This is my very own scientific long-term single-case study.
But don't do this at home! You may harm yourselfe and everybody is different! And even my Dry-Eye-Syndrome is bad enough.