Exposure to various screens around us in the digital world we live in is taking its toll. According to the data, 6 out of 10 people are wearing glasses.
Inside virtual reality, you are actually looking at a flat stereoscopic display, and the purpose of the two lenses that are built in the VR headset is to focus this “screen” on a fixed distance, about an arm’s length away. In other words, when you look at the object that is farther away or closer in VR, you aren’t really changing focus, but only the angle.
This essentially means – if you are short/far-sighted, you will have to wear prescription glasses or lenses in order to enjoy virtual reality.
Get to know the headset’s dimensions
This is what you should do before buying the VR headset. The first and most logical solution to the problem at hand is to wear glasses under your VR headset.
Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are both 15cm wide, but the Rift’s height is 6.4cm compared to Vive’s 5cm. On Oculus’ official website you can see the required width and height of your glass frames which will allow you to wear the headset – width of 142m or less and height of 50mm or less.
PSVR offers a lot more room, and in most cases you won’t have any issues wearing your glasses under this VR headset, except if your choice of glassware are those really bulky, funny-looking hipster glasses. The same goes for Gear VR as well.
Another dimension you should have in mind is the depth of the headset. We talked about how to protect VR lenses, so in order to avoid scratching both your glasses, but also the VR lenses, we strongly suggest that you read the aforementioned article.
Another thing you should practice when putting the headset on while wearing the glasses is always to go front-to-back, meaning you should align the face-plate of the headset first, and then the strap to the back of your head.
Conclusion – your glasses need to be small enough in order to fit them under your VR headset. Take measurements, and make sure that you have about 0.5 – 1.0 centimetres of spare space in each direction. Getting $10 lens protectors is also a good idea if you want to ensure your eyewear doesn’t damage the VR lenses.
Prescription lenses work perfectly
If you have already purchased your VR headset without checking the dimensions/compatibility with your glasses first, only to find out that your eyewear doesn’t fit under it – don’t be alarmed, there is always the alternative solution. This time the alternative – prescription lenses – is much more convenient and comfortable than wearing glasses under VR headset at any cost. The downside – you have to buy the lenses, obviously.
With the lack of official manufacturer support, third party companies seized the opportunity and decided to work on the solution many glass wearers encounter with VR headsets.
VR Lens Lab was the first to come up with the solution – prescription VR lenses specifically designed for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and the lens protectors for PSVR. All the lenses are calculated for each individual in order to bring out the best experience for the headset of your choice.
For a while, VR Lens Lab was the only manufacturer of this merchandise, but recently Widmo VR joined the market. Some competition among the companies making desired products is always good, especially for the customers.
On Widmo VR’s website you can currently buy Rift Prescription Lenses Adapter at the price of $65 and the Rift Cover (extra soft) for $19.99, but they will surely soon broaden their offer and include the products required by the owners of different headsets.