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No degradation of visuomotor function seen in children after 3-D VR use

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Larry Tychsen

WASHINGTON — Researchers found no degradation of visual or motor function and no noteworthy harmful effects in children using 3-D virtual reality technology under study for its effect on visuomotor function, postural stability and visually induced motion sickness.

“Our results suggest that industry-wide manufacturer warnings against use of VR in young children are unfounded,” Larry Tychsen, MD, said at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting. Such manufacturer warnings are a roadblock to advancing development of virtual reality technology as a tool to help special needs children, particularly those with cerebral palsy with gaze apraxia.

To date, Tychsen and colleagues have studied the effects of immersive 3-D VR in children aged 4 to 10 years with corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 20/50 or better, stereoacuity of 3,000 arc seconds or better, no major neurobehavioral disorders, and previous electronic game-playing experience but no previous exposure to VR headset use.

Head movement controlled flight movement in the flying scenario of the video game because head motion in simulators is known to induce visual motion sickness, Tychsen said.

Baseline testing was followed by 30 minutes of game playing, then intertrial testing, another 30 minutes of game playing and final posttrial testing.

Main measures were CDVA, refractive error, stereovision, alignment, balance and a query for motion sickness adapted for children.

Ninety-two percent of children completed both parts of the trials. There was no degradation of visuomotor measures. Balance degraded a mean of 8%, which was statistically significant (P = .05), “but was not noticeable to either the examiner or the parents,” Tychsen said. There was a nonsignificant increase in visual-induced motion sickness and no reported aftereffects. – by Patricia Nale, ELS

Reference:

Tychsen L. Effects of immersive virtual reality viewing on young children: visuomotor function, postural stability and visually induced motion sickness. Presented at: American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting; March 18-22, 2018; Washington.

Disclosure: Tychsen reports he is a consultant to Microsoft Corp.