VR can transport you to otherworldly realms, from epic battles in ancient lands to peaceful retreats in unseen corners of the universe. However, there's an often-overlooked aspect that could be impacting more than just our in-game entertainment—our eye health.

Extended exposure to blue light, the high-energy visible light most commonly emitted by screens, is part of our daily lives, and it's only amplified in VR. I do my best to lessen my blue light exposure by using a blue light filter on my phone at night time or wearing blue light glasses while I work at my desk. However, in VR it just seemed like there was nothing us VR gamers could do.

The space between your eyes and the VR lenses is too small to comfortably wear blue-light glasses. There is a blue-light filter built into the Quest 3 settings, but using it will give your games a brownish-orange tint. If you don’t mind the color change, that’s the easiest way to go. However, the MaeckerVR Quest 3 Blue Light Lenses claim to offer a blue light filter with no tinting whatsoever.

Let’s dive in and see if blue light lenses for your Quest 3 should be your next VR purchase.

What are Blue Light Lenses?

For those that aren’t in the know, blue light lenses are specially crafted filters designed to block or absorb blue light emitted from digital screens, offering a shield against blue light which is known for potential eye strain and sleep cycle disruption. As someone who spends almost every waking minute with a screen (I work 9-hour days in front of a computer), I have felt my fair share of eye strain and sleep disruption. And this isn’t a problem restricted to gamers and remote workers. In fact, 59% of American adults have shown symptoms of eye strain.

Thus, the more we can lessen our exposure to blue light, the better. By integrating a protective barrier against this high-energy light, these lenses claim to reduce eye fatigue, minimize sleep disturbances, and even prevent long-term ocular damage. Specifically, “These products decrease the transmission of ultraviolet light involving wavelengths between 440 and 500 nanometers”.

For anyone like me spending significant time in front of computers, smartphones, or, most pertinently, in VR, blue light lenses can be a crucial aid in maintaining eye health in our increasingly digital world.

Why Are Blue Light Lenses Especially Needed for VR?

Unlike traditional gaming or computer use, VR headsets bring screens closer to the eyes (essentially as close to the eyes as possible without making contact). This intensifies light exposure and potentially increases the risk of digital eye strain. Blue light lenses are vital in this context because they help mitigate some of the harmful effects associated with this exposure. By filtering out blue light, these lenses not only reduce the risk of eye fatigue during extended VR sessions but also help preserve the user's circadian rhythms, ensuring better sleep quality after late-night gaming adventures. This protection is essential for maintaining both immediate comfort and long-term ocular health for avid VR users.

But do they actually work?

So there have been no studies done on blue-light filters or lenses made for VR headsets. However, both Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic both state that blue-light glasses have not been proven to reduce eye strain or improve sleep. Dr. Bajic believes that the causes of digital eye strain often are not due to blue light itself, but rather how often we shift our eyes, a decrease in blinking, and how our eyes focus or contract when observing something close up.

While that’s what the medical professionals say, I decided to try them out anyway.

Maecker VR Quest 3 Review

Over the past two weeks of using the MaeckerVR Quest 3 Prescription Lenses with Blue Light Protect, I wanted to see if the eye strain that often plagues extended sessions of virtual reality would be lessened at all.

I received the Maecker Quest 3 Blue Light Lenses for free to test in this review. However, they have not compensated me in anyway and the thoughts in this article are my own.

First Impressions and Ease of Use

Using the MaeckerVR lenses was very straightforward. The lenses snap into place effortlessly, a testament to their user-friendly design. Despite being engineered for prescription use, I opted for the blue-light-only version. The first thing I noticed immediately was that these lenses lacked the characteristic orange tint often associated with many blue light glasses.

This initially led me to question their effectiveness—had I even received the correct product? So I emailed the company and they assured me that the lenses were indeed equipped with a blue light filter, despite not having an orange tint. They said that their material had the ability to block blue light without altering the color that we see. Although I was skeptical, I continued testing.

Impact on Eye Strain and Comfort

So to be honest, I’d say I noticed a slight improvement on eye strain. This could just be a placebo effect, but I did notice that I wasn’t needing to use eye drops as much during my sessions. However, this potential benefit comes with a trade-off in comfort. The design of the lenses reduces the gap between the eyes and the headset, causing the lenses to rest on the eyebrow ridge. This is super annoying and uncomfortable, especially if you are prone to sweating in VR.

Build Quality and Fit

The lenses are lightweight yet feel sturdy. They integrate easily with the Quest 3 headset, without any modification needed to the device.

The Verdict

For VR enthusiasts who require prescription lenses, the MaeckerVR lenses are definitely recommended. They offer a more comfortable alternative to wearing glasses under a headset.

However, for users like myself, who don't need corrective lenses but merely seek protection from blue light, the discomfort it adds isn’t worth it in my opinion. The discomfort may outweigh the benefits unless you're particularly sensitive to blue light or have significant concerns about eye strain and screen exposure. But with that said, they’re currently only $28.99, so if you want to try them out it isn’t really a high risk or a strain on your wallet.

If you are on the computer all day, spend breaks watching Netflix, and then play VR when the day is done, anything that can help protect your eyes is worth trying. I’ll continue to test and play VR with these blue light lenses, and write another article if I find any further improvements when using them.

So stay tuned and be sure to follow me on HackerNoon for further updates.