As virtual reality gets more and more popular, everybody is wondering if it is safe for use. I use VR almost every day, so I did some research on the topic to find out if there are any issues it is causing to our health.
Virtual reality is very safe for the average adult, although excessive use can lead to eye strain and fatigue. Some studies suggest that intense use by children may lead to difficulty interacting with others.
There is a lot that we can talk about in regard to virtual reality and its overall safety. Read on to learn more about the impact of VR on health and how it relates to you, your family, and friends.
Is Virtual Reality Safe for Your Eyes?
The average person’s eyesight has been declining over the last several decades, and many scientists and doctors point at the fact that much of the work we do is really close to our eyes, making us develop a disease called myopia, or near-sightedness. Does VR also add to this mix?
This nearsightedness can be caused by a lot of different things, but a really big cause is working on things close to you. Smartphones, computers, and laptops are all things that require our eyes to focus on something really close, which might be the reason why many more people are developing nearsightedness then before.
So what does this mean for virtual reality?
Virtual reality is not like other forms of media, and even though the screen is really close to your eyes, it does not have the same effects that holding a phone at that distance has. At this point, there is no data or studies showing that Virtual Reality is harmful to one’s eyesight.
Virtual reality simulates distance using lenses so that your eyes need to adjust for distance normally. Myopia is developed from repeatedly using your eyes to view objects really close, but with a simulated distance that comes in a virtual reality environment, your eyes are viewing things that are “far away”.
Virtual reality uses binocular vision to make your eyes look at things far away. That effect is what makes virtual reality awesome and mind-blowing, and it is safe for the wearer.
Is VR bad Unsafe for Kids?
Many people worry that virtual reality exposure to young people can have harmful consequences in regards to their health in the future. I understand this concern and have thought about this many times as well.
Here is a chart of all the headsets and their age recommendations. This, however, does not mean that someone younger than the recommendation will be harmed by wearing the headset.
| Headset | Age Recommendation |
| Oculus Headsets | 13+ |
| Samsung GearVR | 13+ |
| HTC | “Not intended for young children” |
| Valve index | No recommendation |
| Playstation VR | 12+ |
It is pretty obvious to me that most of these companies don’t want young kids to be using these headsets, and I think that is very indicative.
Although virtual reality is really great for a vast number of reasons, it is probably best to hold off on letting children use it until they reach pre-teen years.
Children Have a Harder Time Distinguishing Differences Between Reality and VR
Studies have found that children cannot distinguish virtual reality from real-life memories until at least the age of ten. This could be really dangerous for kids if they were to use virtual reality unmonitored.
Many parents allow their children to use virtual reality briefly because of this. The fact that there really are not any substantial long term studies on this topic makes a lot of people really cautious.
Children are much more prone to get absorbed in a virtual world because their imaginations run wild, but also because they have not experienced enough of reality to see the gaping flaws in virtual reality.
For example, if a child plays role-playing games for a really long time, they might not understand that the facial expressions found in the game are cheap knockoffs of real body language, and not have the same innate abilities that other children would.
This is all speculation because like I said, there are no real long term studies on the effects that VR has on children or even adults. Be careful, but right now there are not any big signs to make us assume that virtual reality is really damaging to children.
It is left up to the parent how much virtual reality a child encounters, but I would suggest putting some limiters on them until they are at the very least 11-13 years old. They can definitely try it out and play before that, but I would not recommend giving them free rein this young.
Is VR Safe for One’s Social Skills?
Vr is relatively new, and studies on this topic are relatively few in number. We can definitely speculate and have assumptions on this topic though.
There is a reason that almost every single headset out there has some sort of age recommendation. Childhood development is complicated, but adding in virtual reality might not be a good idea.
There is a lot to be said about the dangers that VR may present to children, but the real question is if they are any different from video games or movies.
In my opinion virtual reality, like any other hobby, can affect one’s social interaction if not done in moderation. If someone gets to in to any activity it can prevent them from socializing with others. VR is no exception to this, and if you seem to be putting virtual reality over spending time with people there might be an issue.
Is VR Safer Than Other Video Games?
Virtual reality and standard console or computer games have a lot in common. Video games are a way to interact with virtual people and spaces. Virtual reality heightens that interaction by making it 3 dimensional.
There are a lot of different studies on video games, but none of them have turned up any sort of conclusive evidence that they cause violence or any sort of personality disorders.
Again, virtual reality, like video games, can start to become less safe if one spends too much time doing that than other important things.
VR – A more physical video game
The biggest flaw with video games is that they are fairly addictive, and they do not provide any sort of physical exercise other than an elevated heart rate and quick thumbs. Virtual reality is very different.
Virtual reality requires a lot more than just moving your hands on a keyboard or controller.
In order to be really good at virtual reality, the player needs to be healthy and fast. They need to be able to move around and have good hand-eye coordination. Much like sports, virtual reality games need both physical strength and speed as well as mental.
Many virtual reality games are physically exhausting. There are plenty of people out there that use virtual reality to workout and even lose weight. My brother lost 40 pounds playing a game called beat saber.
Virtual reality can be thrown in the video game lot in terms of its effects on the brain, but virtual reality can be really beneficial to physical health.
The Immediate Dangers of VR
You are not going to instantly get hurt by putting on a virtual reality headset, everyone is safe in that regard. However, there are some risks associated with playing virtual reality.
Blinded to the Real World
When somebody uses virtual reality, they generally have no ability to see what is going on around them. This has a lot of potential for disaster in terms of safety for the wearer and those in the room.
For example, we had a virtual reality set going in a family friends home a few months back when we made a mistake. After we had designated an area for the person playing virtual reality to do their thing, somebody had sat down inside the danger zone. In the game that we had running, you have to punch bad guys, but the player ended up punching his own mother.
There are a lot of different virtual reality games out there, and not all of them run the risk of you punching the wall or another person. Many games are really tame, and if you set up your play area correctly then you should be okay.
Even though it is rare, it should be mentioned that this can happen. People can get really hurt and people need to be careful. It is not hard to keep people safe though, you just have to set up some rules so that people understand when and where to be when someone is in virtual mode.
Forgetting You Are in a Virtual World
I have put a lot of people into virtual reality for the first time, and each one of them reacts differently. Some people do really well at distinguishing the real from the virtual.
For example, you may not realize that things in virtual reality are not actually there. When somebody enters virtual reality, they are shown things that look really real. This is potentially unsafe for those who forget where they are.
Sometimes people try to lean on walls, tables, banisters, or even try to take a step on stairs that are not there.
This can result in a really bad fall, and falling is never a good idea when you cannot see what is going on around you due to a head-mounted display.
Another example of this is thinking you are falling. For example, there is a game called Richie’s Plank Experience where the player walks out on a plank that is 30 stories up in a virtual building, and then walks off and is given the feeling of falling. We have had people physically jump in the real world as if they are taking a nose dive off of a cliff! Although falling virtually will not hurt you, hitting your face on the ground will.
To keep people safe in virtual reality, we find it nice to have a spotter there just in case someone forgets where they are or falls. We have saved people from some injuries by doing this.
Saftey Reasons to Avoid Virtual Reality
Epilepsy
People with epilepsy should know that it is a really bad idea to play virtual reality. Most games even have big warnings in place so that people don’t mistakenly play when they have this condition.
VR is not for everyone, especially those susceptible to seizures. It can be really intense in terms of lights and even frightening.
There isn’t much more to say, as people with epilepsy understand the risks associated with playing in a virtual reality headset with a lot of flashing lights.
Heart Conditions
Virtual reality can be really intense and putting somebody inside a crazy new world when they run the risk of a heart attack anyway is a really bad idea. Lots of games and experiences also warn people with conditions like these to play with caution.
Older folks are going to have a lot of trouble staying calm in some virtual reality games.
I have put many people from the older generation into virtual reality, and they are usually fine as long as they are sitting down and not playing anything that is too intense. I really recommend games like google earth VR.
Balance Issues
There are some people that already have trouble standing up, and they really should be careful when they are playing virtual reality.
Again, if there is someone who wants to play VR that doesn’t have great balance, it is a good idea to have a spotter for their safety.
It is really easy to fall over when you have no feedback in your eyes as to your physical relation to the ground.
A great test to see if somebody is virtual reality ready is to put a blindfold on them and see if they can stay standing. If they are solid without wobbling they might be able to handle virtual reality.
Safety Tips for Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is really great, and I have spent countless hours playing myself as well as helping other people play. I have learned some really important tips when playing virtual reality that will help you and those around you be safe when playing virtual reality.
Here is a list of 8 safety tips when playing VR. Continue reading to get more details on each one of them.
- Designate a Play Space
- Show the Player the Grid
- Remove Reckless Players
- Use Caution With Headphones
- Brief First-Time Wearers
- Physical Contact is Your Friend
- Remember They Can’t See You
- Watch the Wires
Tip #1: Designate a Play Space
This is really important, even though it may seem fairly obvious. This will keep people from wandering too close and getting hurt by the VR wearer.
When you set up most headsets, you set boundaries that the person in virtual reality is not supposed to leave. Those boundaries are shown with a simple grid whenever the person playing gets too close.
Have set rules in place so that people know where the play space is and when it is okay to enter so that everyone is safe from harm.
Tip #2: Show the Player the Grid
It is really important that whoever is playing virtual reality understands where and what the playspace grid is.
The playspace grid is a series of lines that appear in the player’s vision while in virtual reality when they get too close to the edge of the playspace. If the player does not know what they are or what they mean, they cannot know the proper course of action.
The easiest way to do this is to put the headset on somebody that is going to be playing in virtual reality and then walk them to the edge of the playspace, and ask them to tell you when they see the lines. Explain what the lines are used for and what to do when they see them.
It is important to show the player each and every border of the play space, especially the one behind them. Tell them that the lines are there to remind them that they are not actually inside the virtual world, but instead are in a place with objects and people that are not visible to them.
Tip #3: Remove Reckless Players
Nobody likes somebody that ruins the fun, but you need to stop somebody if they are becoming reckless.
This is especially important with younger kids. If they are swinging madly without regard for the play area or what is going on around them then they need to be taught a lesson by removing the headset. Some headsets and program have a way of pausing with the keyboard or mouse, and that is a great way for them to stop what they are doing.
VR needs to be safe for everybody involved, including those not playing the game at the time, and a reckless player can seriously harm those in the room. Pay attention to what is happening around the player, especially if the player is not you.
Tip #4: Use Caution With Headphones
Unless you know that you are going to be left alone, be really careful when using headphones.
A great advantage of playing VR in a group is that there can be audible warnings when somebody is about to hurt themselves, others, or even the wall.
If somebody has headphones in, then it can be really difficult to warn them that there is danger ahead. With noise-canceling headphones, even yelling STOP is not very effective.
Tip #5: Brief First Time Wearers So They Know What’s Going On
Virtual reality is really amazing and can bring some really great emotion into peoples minds. I have seen people go visit their homeland in another country that they have not had the money to go visit in years, which brings tears to their eyes.
What you do not want to do is use this power to make people panic without them knowing what is about to happen. Some really great games out there can be a lot of fun, but the player should really know what is going on.
This video is a great example of some of the fear that VR can spark, and although the person playing this had a ton of fun, it shows that he was truly scared;
See what I mean? He was really shaking. There are a lot of games out there that are much scarier than just walking off a ledge as this guy did, and whoever is playing VR should know exactly what they are in for.
Tip #6: Physical Contact is Your Friend
Many people lose track of reality and no longer have the ability to maintain balance, or even get too freaked out to play the game.
In order to provide a truly safe VR experience, sometimes it is a good idea to rest your hand on the shoulder of whoever is playing so that they feel stable and anchored in reality.
We found it really important that in some games you have a spotter there to catch the player in the event that they fall. This is pretty rare, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
Tip #7: Remember That They Cannot See You
It is really important that the person in virtual reality knows what is or is not inside their play space. It is a good idea to speak clearly what you are doing if you are going to be in the playspace.
For example, if you are sitting down next to the play area waiting your turn and need to get up for something, state loudly that you are getting up and get some form of acknowledgment from the player that they are ready for you to do so.
If you fail to do this, then somebody is bound to get punched. I have seen it happen and everybody involved was not happy.
Tip #8: Watch the Wires
If you are going to a fancy virtual reality arcade, then you probably don’t have to worry about this much at all; if you are at home then you better watch out for those pesky cords.
If you take a look at the video in tip #5, you will see me holding the wire up so that it doesn’t get in the way of the player. The key here is watching to make sure that they don’t get all tangled up and trip over something that they cannot see.
Be mindful of where this cord is at, and if you ever feel like it is getting too tangled up around the player, just ask them to simply pause for a moment and remove the headset to fix the problem.
The worst thing that could happen is that you twist up the wire so much that it breaks in some way or gets short enough to tug it out of the sockets somehow damaging the computer.
If you have a standalone headset then you only need to worry about this when you are using the headset while it is charging. If you are charging the headset that is normally untethered, it can be easy to forget that it is actually connected to something. This is a really easy way to break your headset.