Parents have often told their children that playing video games for too long can be bad for them.
Now a study into the impact of virtual reality (VR) gaming has revealed they may have been right.
Research from Waseda University in Japan has shown a link between VR headsets and dry eye disease.
Waseda University Associate Professor Yoshiro Okazaki and Dr Norihiko Yokoi, from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, have concluded that too much exposure to visual display systems can disrupt the tear film, leading to instability and irritation.
“In a digital world where many people worry about eye comfort, we were motivated by the lack of real-time data on what happens to the tear film during VR use,” says A/Prof Okazaki in the article, published in Scientific Reports.
Unlike previous similar studies, they were able to demonstrate this in real time, using VR headsets with a tiny built-in camera for real-time observation.
Using these headsets they followed 14 healthy people during 30 minutes of gaming.
They noted a significant increase in the thickening of the tear film lipid layer, and also a rise in corneal and upper eyelid temperatures.
“While not intended as a health claim, our findings provide insights into how the thermal environment inside VR headsets may influence tear film behaviour,” A/Prof Okazaki said.
“This is useful not just for the users but also for the headset designers who are involved in developing future VR systems.”
He said the researchers planned to include clinical populations and appropriate controls in any future studies.
