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. 2024 Oct-Dec;17(4):100524.
doi: 10.1016/j.optom.2024.100524. Epub 2024 Nov 8.

Effect of a vergence-accommodation conflict induced during a 30-minute Virtual Reality game on vergence-accommodation parameters and related symptoms

Maciej Dymczyk  1 , Anna Przekoracka-Krawczyk  2 , Zuzanna Kapturek  2 , Paulina Pyżalska  2
Affiliations

Effect of a vergence-accommodation conflict induced during a 30-minute Virtual Reality game on vergence-accommodation parameters and related symptoms

Maciej Dymczyk et al. J Optom. 2024 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to verify the hypotheses that vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC) induced with head-mounted device (HMD) could cause symptoms in relation to changes in the accommodative-vergence system. In order to test this hypothesis, the Virtual Reality (VR) exposures were carried out in two types of VAC: VACsmall and VAClarge.

Method: Eighteen females, with a mean age of 22.5 ± 2.0 years, participated in two 30-minutes sessions with VR, which were separated by at least one week. Two sessions were differentiated by intensity of VAC presented in the VR system (VACsmall and VAClarge). Visual parameters were measured such as associated and dissociated phoria, accommodative response, the near point of convergence (NPC), fusional vergence ranges (FVR) and subjective complaints were measured using Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). The parameters were measured immediately before (Pre-test) and after (Post-test) the VR exposure.

Results: The subjective symptoms as nausea, oculomotor disorders and disorientation increased significantly after 30-minutes of exposure on VAClarge (P<0.05). The associated and dissociated phoria, lag of accommodation, FVR and the NPC did not significantly change after the VR exposure (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Short-term use of HMD (30-min) did not significantly affect accommodative-vergence functions regardless of the size of VAC (VACsmall and VAClarge). However, the level of symptoms increased after VR sessions, which was probably related to inappropriate oculo-vestibular relationship.

Keywords: Accommodative-vergence system; Simulator sickness questionnaire; Vergence-accommodation conflict; Virtual reality; Virtual reality gaming; Visual functions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest None.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig. 1
Diagram showing the order of experiment.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
Screenshot of the underwater treasure game used in the study. The left image was seen by the left eye and the right image by the right eye.
Fig 3
Fig. 3
Impact of the VAC conflict condition on the lag of accommodation in the pre-test and post-test. Bars mean the standard error of mean.
Fig 4
Fig. 4
The impact of the condition of accommodation-vergence conflict on the value of the lag of accommodation (coefficient a) in the pre- and post-test. Bars mean the standard error of mean.
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