With the big rise in virtual reality, many people are wondering what health risks are involved with it. Some even think that it might be a cause of cancer. Through thorough research, I have the answer.
Virtual reality has not been proven to cause cancer. There are no studies or medical evaluations that even suggest that VR can lead to this disease. However, since virtual reality is new it is hard to say for sure. Over the next few decades, there should be more data to back this up.
Continue reading to learn why VR doesn’t cause cancer. We will also talk about some other health issues that virtual reality can cause.
Why Virtual Reality Does Not Cause Cancer
It has been said that virtual reality, along with cell phones, causing cancer is the same as a flashlight giving a person a sunburn. Sure, cell phones and technology like VR does emit some forms of radiation, but to put it simply it is not dangerous and does not cause cancer.
I remember being in middle school when everybody thought that everything caused cancer. Sure, the idea that there are many things out there that can cause the sickness is true, sometimes we can get a little out of hand with what is fact and what is an opinion.
I do understand the concern. Having new technology like a virtual headset in front of your eyes for an extended period of time does make a person wonder. As kids, many of us were taught that we shouldn’t get out faces too close to a TV while watching, in our minds how would this be any different?
There may be some health concerns as to how good it actually is to use virtual reality, but there is no evidence or suggestion that it even gets remotely close to causing cancer. This should give you peace of mind. If there were any immediate signs of danger or remote risk of cancer, we would have been made fully aware of that a long time ago.
VR has been on that market for years now, and that is plenty of time for doctors and other professionals to get enough data to find early signs of cancer.
Why people think VR causes cancer
Virtual reality is a very new technology, and a lot of people really worry about what it does to your eyes.
Although VR may have some effects on your eyes that we do not understand yet, cancer is not one of them.
Many people see virtual reality as a technology that is way too close to the human eye to be safe. The circuitry and screens are mere inches from the face, eyes, and brain. That short distance scares people, especially since the screens emit light.
People associate light and different electric waves with radiation, which does, in fact, cause cancer. Lots of radiation hits humanity every day, but the uninformed think that waves produced by electronics are much more dangerous than those produced by the sun.
The truth is that sunlight is much more likely to cause cancer than light coming from a small display that is inside a headset. Headset displays will destroy no DNA chains, while UV and other radiation that comes from the sun definitely will.
People are afraid of things they haven’t seen before, and in media, we are always taught to fear life-changing technology. We are constantly shown futures where new technology has destroyed the world, making everybody who sees any sort of new technology an instant cynic.
Virtual reality is truly amazing, and it is so great that when people see it they are always asking “what’s the catch?”.
The only catch with virtual reality is that it will change the way that you interact with media forever. I hate watching movies on anything but my headset, and that is because it is so much better of an experience than watching it in a living room.
Will Virtual Reality Ever Cause Cancer?
Will VR ever cause cancer? We cannot say for sure. The interesting thing about society is that we learn so much over time. In the 1900s smoking was the best thing to do. Years later we discovered that it is a deadly killer and cancer-giver.
There is so much innovative technology on the market that is new and cool. Without long-term studies, we can’t be sure of what harm it could or could not cause to us.
Maybe one-day doctors find that virtual reality does, in fact, cause cancer, and that will surely be a bummer. At the moment, however, there is nothing even pointing in that direction, and that makes me feel just fine.
I really doubt that VR will ever cause cancer. This is a lot like many people thinking that cell phones caused cancer when they became popular, but in reality, they do nothing of the sort.
Other Health Risks From Using Virtual Reality
Nausea and Motion Sickness
I have seen people get nauseous all the time when playing virtual reality. Some people are just more prone to it than others.
Personally, I have never experienced any form of nausea while having a VR headset on, and I have played for hours at a time. My wife, however, can barely play for 10 minutes before she starts getting a little sick to her stomach.
I have never seen anything too serious with this because the solution is simple: If you are feeling motion sick, take the headset off for a good 30 minutes. After that, most people start feeling 100% again and can even throw the VR back on.
Anxiety
At times, virtual reality can trigger anxiety for some people. VR is amazing blowing your mind. It can make you believe that you are flying, or traveling through the streets of Brazil. You can play zombie fighting games or even be the best boxer in the world.
The experiences are endless, and sometimes just a little too much to handle and can make a brain start feeling confused and anxious. Certain VR can cause little anxiety attacks in people who don’t even struggle with this on a daily basis, so it is good to use caution while playing.
The best way to prevent anxiety during a VR experience is to play in small doses. Especially for those who might be playing for the first time, it is best to start off with simpler games and experiences and then work up to the more intense ones. Also, shortening VR sessions to 30 minutes apiece then taking a break will also prevent anxiety feelings or attacks.
Heart Troubles
Many virtual reality games and experiences give caution to those who have heart difficulties. If a person with heart trouble gets into a game, there is a chance that something could go horribly wrong.
That is why it is best for those who have a bad heart to go easy on the VR and limit themselves timewise. This will surely prevent any disaster from happening.
Epilepsy
Similar to heart troubles, those with epilepsy should take caution before playing VR.
As mentioned before, virtual reality is amazing due to its realistic experiences, games, and events. Sometimes these do involve lots of colors, noise, and intense aspects. These should definitely be avoided by those who have this condition.
However, there are lots of easy-going experiences that one can do that will not cause an issue. Google Earth, for example, is a nice and easy way to get blown away by VR, without going through anything too intense. It does tend to give some people motion sickness though, so beware of that!
Physical Injury
Although nothing in virtual reality can actually hurt you, there is a chance of getting hurt while using virtual reality.
There are plenty of things in the world that are dangerous, and even your own living room can be dangerous under certain circumstances.
While using virtual reality, you are blind to the outside world for long periods of time. That blindness to what is happening around you can lead to some very unfortunate accidents.
For example, a family pet could wander into your space and lay down without you knowing. That action could lead to you tripping and falling, leading to serious injury. We always recommend that pets are separated from the play area for just this reason.