One of the latest crazes in the world of technology is virtual reality, often known as VR.  While we might claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of these as largely meant in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a video game or other entertainment activity like that, it has found a wide range of other implementations.  Perhaps one of the most fascinating applications is how it can be utilized in the field of medicine.

It should come as no surprise that it has recently started to be applied in the fields of optometry and ophthalmology.  This is the treatment of eye health, if you are unfamiliar with the terms – and you can read more with regards to’concerning’with respect to those fields more here: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327500.  It’s generally a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent idea to learn the difference between them.

Our eyes are one of our most significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative organs, since they let us see the world around us.  If your eyesight is wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile you are likely quite familiar with visiting an eye doctor – usually the optometrist, who is a general care physician in/with regard to’concerning’regarding eyes.

You sit down and do the little tests.  Sometimes the machinery is uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table and clunky.  It can be hard to see the images in/with regard to’concerning’regarding some of the tests due to the age of the machines or how different it is from more modern technology.  Overall, it is not always the most fun undergo .

Thankfully, there are now more options out there in/with regard to’concerning’regarding optometrists and ophthalmologists.  In the appointments with the in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mer, usually they conduct an eye exam, a vision test, prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, and sometimes they will detect any irregularities in your eyes or prescribe medicine to treat any issues. That is generally considered some of the routine in an appointment.

The Vision Test

This is the part that we will focus on, as this is where virtual reality becomes relevant.   The intent of these exams is to evaluate eye health and the strength of your vision, usually with the end goal of prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.  I’m quite used to them given how poor my vision is!

Ideally, we should possess’own’nurse them perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding med each year.  However, due to some of the discomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding t involved, a lot of us do end up slacking.  That probably isn’t in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the best, of course.

The field test is meant to test our peripheral vision – so, how much we can see from side to side without actually moving our eyes.  This is where a visual field analyzer comes into play – that is the equipment used to perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding m this procedure.

Traditionally, these are enormous’vast’massive’tremendous goggle-style machines that you are meant to gaze’contemplate’study (‘gape (surprised or shocked)) into.  There are several different types of this exam, but the confrontation one may just involve your doctor just holding fingers up in front of you in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you to follow.  It is the other methods that involve machinery.

It’s fascinating that virtual reality has been applied to these now, but it makes sense.  Because of the nature of it, it seems highly applicable to this sort of test.  After all, being able to test that periphery vision with a field in a virtual reality headset absolutely has a lot of potential.  It’s no wonder it’s being explored!

VR and Medicine

It’s truly amazing how much this technology has already impacted the medical fields.  While vision care is an obvious application, there are others too!  This just expands the reasons you might want to invest in a headset in/with regard to’concerning’regarding your place of business.

You can read some more with regards to’concerning’with respect to this fascinating topic here, https://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/, but I’m more than happy to give some examples as well.  The first that comes to mind is helping relax patients.  This might not be what you claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of but let me explain.

Medical procedures are lay stress on’emphasize’highlight ful.  That’s a given.  If we can find ways to mitigate this in/with regard to’concerning’regarding patients, that’s pretty much always going to be a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent thing.  A lot of patients possess’own’nurse reported that if they look into a virtual reality headset and see calming atmospheres and landscapes, they feel better going into a surgery or other event.

Of course, there are also plenty of applications in/with regard to’concerning’regarding medical practitioners.  One of the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous gest is to be able to watch an operation being perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding med from a first-person perspective, even if you are not the one doing it.  Talk with regards to’concerning’with respect to an excellent learning tool, and even one rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent in/with regard to’concerning’regarding guiding a trainee!

Another use we might not often claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of it in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a conference in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the medical community.  These can be long and drawn out, but with interactive features in a virtual reality space, they are seriously enhanced.  Three-D graphics and presentations do tend to catch our attention a lot more effectively, after all!

Another fascinating way that VR is being utilized in medicine is in physical therapy.  I was thunderstruck’startled’stupefied to hear this, initially.  This is because as I mentioned above, I often had associated virtual reality with video games and thus sitting still or being relatively stagnant.  However, as I considered it more, this made a lot of sense to me.

When we wear a headset, we possess’own’nurse to move ourselves to direction field of vision or some actions in the virtual space.  It is merely’barely natural that this could be used to help individual heal physical injuries as well.  With this technology, it is possible in/with regard to’concerning’regarding doctors to create digital spaces that are catered to the needs of their patients!

With all the different ways out there that VR is advancing medicine, it’s really no wonder that optometry has joined in.