The following is a summary of “Applications and implications for extended reality to improve binocular vision and stereopsis,” published in the January 2023 issue of Ophthalmology by Levi, et al.

Extended reality (XR) gadgets, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) gadgets, are immersive technologies that let users swap out or combine the actual world with virtual material (e.g., videogames, movies, or other content). 

The gadgets were commonly used for video game play and other purposes, but they offered a special ability that might be highly helpful for diagnosing and treating binocular vision anomalies: they can concurrently provide separate material to each eye. In fact, stereopsis—the convincing perception of depth—can be achieved simply by horizontally moving the pictures in the two eyes (thereby producing binocular disparity). These gadgets are stereoscopic, thus they may also be used as high-tech synoptophores to measure and cure binocular abnormalities by producing pictures of the two eyes that are different in contrast, brightness, size, location, and content. 

VR’s use in diagnosing and treating binocular vision abnormalities and other problems was expanded by the integration of eye tracking. In addition to reviewing recent research in which XR devices have been used to assess and treat binocular vision abnormalities, researchers for a study outlined the prerequisites for diagnosing and treating binocular anomalies.

Reference: arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2785300