- Marmara Medical Journal
- Cilt: 37 Sayı: 1
- Effects of virtual reality usage on kappa angle, accommodation, pupil, depth perception, and examina...
Effects of virtual reality usage on kappa angle, accommodation, pupil, depth perception, and examination of the relationship of these parameters with discomfort perception
Authors : Volkan Dericioğlu, Betul Kubat
Pages : 59-62
Doi:10.5472/marumj.1378508
View : 54 | Download : 85
Publication Date : 2024-01-28
Article Type : Research
Abstract :Objective: This study aims to examine the effects of virtual reality (VR) usage on the eyes and investigate the parameters responsible for the subsequent discomfort sensation. Materials and Methods: This prospective study enrolled 20 healthy volunteers who were engaged in a 10-minute VR game session. Refractive errors, kappa angles, phoria presence, accommodative responses, and scotopic, mesopic, and photopic pupillometry values were recorded before and after using VR. A Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire (VRSQ) was applied to assess discomfort, and the relation with evaluated parameters was investigated. Results: Twenty volunteers (mean age 29.80±0.57 years) included 11 females (55%) and 9 males (45%). The mean spherical equivalent refractive error was – 1.94±0.28 diopters and 5 (25%) volunteers had phoria. Average kappa angles were 0.23±0.02 mm (x-axis) and 0.11±0.01 mm (y-axis). Post-VR, the median [(interquartile range (IQR)] stereopsis decreased from 30 (30-60) to 60 (60-60) arc seconds (P<0.001). Pupil sizes increased significantly across all lighting conditions (P<0.001). Accommodation did not significantly change post-VR (P>0.05). VRSQ scores correlated positively with phoria and kappa-x angle (r=0.458, P=0.003 and r=0.330, P=0.038) while negatively with stereopsis and kappa-y angle (r=-0.375, P=0.017 and r=-0.326, P=0.04). Conclusion: Virtual reality use reduces depth perception and induces significant mydriasis across lighting conditions. Post-VR discomfort feeling may be related to phoria, kappa angle, and stereopsis.Keywords : Virtual reality, Accommodation, Kappa, Stereopsis, Pupillometry