By Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is making significant strides in the realm of augmented reality (AR)…
with their visionary plans to mainstream wearable AR devices. These devices aim to seamlessly integrate digital information into the real world, enhancing user experience and transforming how everyone interacts with their surroundings.
Through leveraging their cutting-edge technology, Meta intends to create lightweight, comfortable wearables capable of delivering immersive AR experiences for everyday use. Their ambitious plans focus not only on the technological advancements, but also on ensuring privacy, security, and user-friendly designs to appeal to a broad audience.
In a perfect world, Meta envisions a future where AR wearables become as ubiquitous and indispensable as smartphones are today. But wearing AR devices close to the eyes definitely raises some red flags (especially for an eye doctor).
AR’s effect on the eyes
AR devices involve projecting digital information onto a screen that is placed practically right up to the eyes. This means our eyes will have to constantly refocus between the digital information and objects in the real world, which can certainly cause eye strain and fatigue when overused. Additionally, prolonged use of AR devices may also lead to headaches, dry eye, and a whole host of other visual discomforts.
To address these concerns, Meta has committed to thorough research and development in collaboration with leading experts in vision science. They are working towards developing AR displays that reduce or eliminate these negative effects on our vision. Some potential solutions being explored include designing displays that mimic natural light and focusing distances, as well as implementing eye-tracking technology to adjust the display according to the user’s gaze.
Proactive tips for eye health + AR
As we spend more time staring at screens, it is important to keep our eyes healthy to prevent potential damage from prolonged use of devices. From an eye doctor’s perspective, guarding your eyes from drying out is the same pertaining to all digital screen usage (including AR):
- Take Frequent Breaks: At this point it’s obvious that staring at screens for prolonged periods of time can strain your eyes and cause discomfort. It is recommended to follow the 20-20-20 rule, which means taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet away.
- Befriend the Display Settings: I’m not an expert in AR by any means, however most AR devices should allow users to adjust brightness, contrast, and color temperature. By reducing the brightness and blue light emission, you can reduce the strain on your eyes (with all devices).
- Maintain Proper Distance: Ideally, the screen should be positioned at least an arm’s length away from your face. This will reduce strain on your eyes and prevent them from getting too close to the bright light emitted by the device.
- Use Proper Lighting: Make sure to use sufficient lighting in the room or environment where you are using the device. Avoid using AR devices in dimly lit rooms as it can cause additional strain on your eyes.
- Blink Regularly: We’ve all seen what happens to a person that stares into screens for a long time without blinking, right? Eyes get spacey, mouth opens a bit too wide, brain probably stops working. It’s nothing attractive to say the least. That said, it helps to blink regularly, at the very least to let other people know you’re still alive.