Gaze angle: a possible mechanism of visual stress in virtual reality headsets

It is known that some Virtual Reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) can cause temporary deficits in binocular vision. On the other hand, the precise mechanism by which visual stress occurs is unclear. This paper is concerned with a potential source of visual stress that has not been previously c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ergonomics 1998-03, Vol.41 (3), p.280-285
Main Authors: MON-WILLIAMS, MARK, PLOOY, ANNA, BURGESS-LIMERICK, ROBIN, WANN, JOHN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied physiology
Binocular vision
Biological and medical sciences
Data Display
Display devices
Ergonomics
Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology
Eye movements
Eyes & eyesight
Gaze Angle Head-mounted Displays Virtual Reality Visual Stress
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
Medical sciences
Space life sciences
User-Computer Interface
Virtual reality
Vision Disorders - etiology
Vision Disorders - physiopathology
Vision, Binocular
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Summary:It is known that some Virtual Reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) can cause temporary deficits in binocular vision. On the other hand, the precise mechanism by which visual stress occurs is unclear. This paper is concerned with a potential source of visual stress that has not been previously considered with regard to VR systems: inappropriate vertical gaze angle. As vertical gaze angle is raised or lowered the 'effort' required of the binocular system also changes. The extent to which changes in vertical gaze angle alter the demands placed upon the vergence eye movement system was explored. The results suggested that visual stress may depend, in part, on vertical gaze angle. The proximity of the display screens within an HMD means that a VR headset should be in the correct vertical location for any individual user. This factor may explain some previous empirical results and has important implications for headset design. Fortuitously, a reasonably simple solution exists.
ISSN:0014-0139
1366-5847
DOI:10.1080/001401398187035