Simulation of Oscillopsia in Virtual Reality

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Nystagmus involves involuntary eye movements, often causing oscillopsia, a sensation of visual instability.
• Oscillopsia can be debilitating, with limited treatment options and communication challenges for affected individuals.
• Existing tools for communicating the experience of oscillopsia are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a virtual reality (VR) application designed to simulate the effects of oscillopsia.
• To enable non-sufferers to better understand and appreciate the visual experience of oscillopsia.
• To provide a tool to aid communication regarding nystagmus and its associated symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Developed a VR oscillopsia simulator using eye-tracking data, released as a smartphone application.
• Integrated the app with Google Cardboard for an immersive oscillopsia experience.
• Validated the simulation's representativeness and usefulness through a questionnaire with six participants experiencing nystagmus and oscillopsia.

Main Results:

• The "Nystagmus Oscillopsia Sim VR" app has garnered approximately 3700 downloads.
• Positive feedback received from the nystagmus community.
• Participants rated the simulation's accuracy at 7.8/10 and its communication aid effectiveness at 9.2/10.

Conclusions:

• The VR simulation effectively recreates the sensation of oscillopsia.
• The application significantly enhances communication about nystagmus symptoms.
• This VR approach has potential applications for communicating other visual conditions.