Luminance and thresholding limitations of virtual reality headsets for visual field testing

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Technology
• Visual Science

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) devices are increasingly explored for visual field testing.
• Accurate luminance capacity and threshold sensitivity are critical for reliable perimetry.
• Current VR headsets may not meet the stringent requirements for clinical visual field assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the luminance capacity and achievable threshold levels of VR devices used in clinical visual field testing.
• To determine if current VR technology is suitable for diagnosing and monitoring visual field defects.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature review of VR headsets employed for perimetry, extracting luminance data.
• Empirically assessed the three most utilized VR headsets (Pico Neo, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive) in a custom virtual testing environment.
• Compared luminance measurements using handheld meters versus spectroradiometers and analyzed luminance variation with stimulus parameters.

Main Results:

• HTC Vive Pro reported maximum luminance of 250 cd/m2; however, luminance data was inconsistently available.
• Handheld luminance meters significantly overestimated luminance compared to spectroradiometers.
• Measured luminance varied with aperture size and decreased peripherally; lowest thresholds were 16dB (HTC Vive) and 20dB (Oculus Quest 2, Pico Neo 3) at a 10 cd/m2 background.

Conclusions:

• Commercially available VR devices do not meet the luminance requirements or threshold sensitivities for effective visual field testing.
• Current VR technology's limitations in achieving mid-to-low decibel (dB) ranges hinder accurate diagnosis and monitoring of conditions like glaucoma.
• Significant variables in luminance measurement and performance highlight the need for improved VR technology for ophthalmic applications.