As someone who wears glasses, I have wondered if I can still wear a virtual reality headset and have an immersive VR experience. It sometimes can feel like VR headsets are only for people who do not wear glasses.
Whether or not you need glasses for VR depends on your prescription or if you are near or far-sighted. If you are near-sighted, then yes, you do need glasses. But there are different ways to use VR headsets without glasses.
In this article, I read user reviews from people who use VR headsets with glasses on. I also looked at different VR headset manufacturers to see if their devices are compatible with us glasses-wearing people.
In my research, I found out that I need to wear glasses in VR as I have a high eye grade plus I am near-sighted. So, to find out if YOU need to wear glasses in VR, see my tips below.
Do You Need Good Eyesight For VR?
Good eyesight can really make your VR experience smooth, comfortable, and immersive. But what if you have bad eyesight?
Does having bad eyesight ruin your VR experience?
Having bad eyesight can seem like you can no longer enjoy an immersive virtual reality experience. But, you can still have the best VR experience even if you have bad eyesight.
Having to wear glasses when using a virtual reality headset is not the end of the world.
Can I Wear Glasses When Using A VR Headset?
Yes, you absolutely can.
Wearing glasses should not be a deal breaker if you want to have a VR experience and you can still enjoy it even if you have glasses on. VR technology is more advanced now and most VR headsets have space for your glasses to fit.
But, having said that, not all VR headsets might fit your glasses so you have to make sure to check for yourself if the VR headset can fit while you are wearing your glasses.
The size of your glasses can determine whether or not they can fit the headset. Glasses that have smaller frames usually fit most VR headsets while larger frames may need glasses spacers. You might even need VR prescription lenses if you have a large frame.
When buying a VR headset, make sure to measure your frames first or see if you can get to try a headset first with your glasses on.
Wearing A VR Headset Without Glasses
Some users said that they feel fine even if they don’t wear glasses while using a VR headset while some said they definitely need glasses when playing VR games or watching VR movies.
If you don’t have to wear glasses every day, you can opt not to wear your glasses in VR. But, if you absolutely need glasses to function day-to-day, or if you are near-sighted, you might want to keep those glasses on.
If you have corrective glasses, a high prescription, or if you are near-sighted, things might get blurry. You might get headaches and have eye strain.
You can try and see if you can keep your glasses off when using a headset, but if images start to blur, put the glasses back on.
Do You Need Contacts For VR?
If you do not want to wear a VR headset on top of your glasses, you can wear contacts. If it is your first time getting contact lenses, you need to get your eyes checked so that the eye doctor can prescribe your eye grade for the lenses, especially if you wear corrective glasses.
Contact lens users said that they have no problem wearing contact lenses with VR and that it is more comfortable for them than wearing glasses.
With contact lenses, you don’t have to worry about your glasses fitting in your headset or the VR lenses getting scratched by your glasses. Just make sure to apply eyedrops in between as contact lenses can dry up. As a contact lens user myself, trust me when I say you don’t want to let your contact lenses dry when you are using them. You will damage your eyes if you continue to wear dried-up lenses.
For first-time contact lens users, it might take a few days or weeks to adjust to the feeling of having something in your eyes. When your contacts are fitted correctly, you should not be able to feel them in your eyes. This is why you need to be careful when wearing it when using it in VR.
Far-Sightedness in VR
VR lenses sit near your eyes but the distance you see actually appears to be in greater distance. Most VR lenses’ focal distance is about 1.5 meters to 2 meters.
If you are far-sighted, you should be okay with not using your glasses.
Near-sightedness in VR
If you are near-sighted, you might need to wear your glasses. If you can’t see well without your glasses on, you might not be able to see well in VR either.
The focal distance of 1.5 m to 2 m might be blurry already especially if you have a high eye grade.
The good thing is, most VR headset’s lens distance can be adjusted so you can try and see if you will be able to see clearly if you adjust the lens distance. But, this might work if you have a lower eye grade.
Can You Wear Glasses With Oculus?
Yes, you can wear glasses with a Meta Quest Headset. Oculus headsets are glasses-friendly, so if you have or are planning to buy any of the Oculus headsets, you can wear glasses with them.
Oculus has a glasses spacer that comes with the VR headset that you can insert into the device to fit your glasses. But, the size of your frame determines whether it can fit or not.
Oculus recommends having a width of 142mm or less and a height of 50mm or less for the glasses frame.
To insert the glasses spacer, you have to remove the facial interface foam, or the cushion, first and then attach the glasses spacer to where the cushion was. After you have inserted the glasses spacer, put the facial interface foam back in its original place.
If your frames are too large, you can buy a third-party glasses spacer online or you can also get a VR prescription lens adapter.
To find out more about how to wear glasses with your Quest VR Headset, you can visit their website.
Can You Wear Glasses With HTC Vive?
Yes, you can also wear prescription glasses with the HTC Vive.
According to HTC’s website, “Most glasses fit inside the headset. If you wear large prescription glasses, adjust the lens distance to increase the space in the headset.”
When adjusting the lens distance, make sure that your glasses do not touch the VR lenses to prevent damage.
Can You Wear Glasses With PlayStation VR?
PlayStation VR (PSVR) is also designed so you can wear glasses while using it. You can adjust the scope of the PSVR using the scope adjustment button at the bottom of the device so you can fit your glasses.
Like in HTC Vive, you also have to be careful in adjusting the PSVR lens so you do your glasses do not scratch and damage your lenses.
How To Wear Glasses Comfortably In VR?
Wearing glasses while using a VR headset does not have to be uncomfortable. There are things you can do to have that full, immersive VR experience comfortably. Here are some tips to comfortably wear glasses when using a headset:
Make sure your VR headset fits
If this is your first time buying a VR headset, see if you can try the device with your glasses on before buying it. If there are demo stations at your local tech store, ask if you can try the headset with your glasses. The store’s staff will be able to help you and teach you how to adjust the lens distance or tell you if you need glass spacers or VR prescription lenses.
You don’t want to spend all that money, especially if you are buying online, only to find out that the VR headset does not fit you.
Clean your glasses before putting the VR headset on
Now that you have a VR headset that fits perfectly, you have to make sure to clean your glasses before putting the VR headset on. Blurry glasses can ruin your VR experience. Your glasses may also have dirt, oil smudges, or fingerprints on them, and you don’t want to see those in your VR experience.
You can use a dry microfiber cloth to clean your glasses.
Make sure your VR lenses are clean
Your prescription glasses are not the only ones you need to clean.
Regularly cleaning your VR lenses can keep them in condition and prevent dust from accumulating. You will also clean any dirt, oil smudges, or fingerprints that are on them.
Clean your VR lenses with a soft, high-quality, microfiber cloth to prevent micro-scratches and damages.
Use glasses spacers
The Oculus Quest headset has glass spacers that you can insert into the device so your glasses can fit.
You can insert the glasses spacers where the foam is placed. To do this, you need to remove the foam cushion first and put it back once you have inserted the glasses spacers. Make sure to do this carefully so as not to damage the foam and the device itself.
Have VR prescription lenses for your device
If you find wearing glasses or contact lenses uncomfortable, you can also get VR prescription lenses for your headset.
Some users who wear glasses said that they bought VR prescription lenses and that they did not regret buying them because it made their VR experience more comfortable.
VR prescription lenses are lenses that you can insert into your VR headset. These are custom-made with your prescription so you don’t have to worry about wearing glasses or contacts with VR. You also don’t have to worry about getting the VR lenses scratched as most are covered in a scratch-resistant coating. It goes between the VR lenses and your eyes so it is a good alternative for a comfortable VR experience.
These lenses can get expensive, but if it is for your comfort, why not see if VR prescription lenses are something you can get?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to wear my glasses with Oculus Quest 2?
If you have corrective lenses or high-prescription glasses, yes, you need to wear glasses with your Oculus Quest 2. They have glasses spacers that you can insert into the device for your glasses.
How do you use VR without glasses?
If you are near-sighted, you can opt to wear contact lenses or have VR prescription lenses if you want to wear a VR headset without glasses. If you are far-sighted, you can use a VR headset without glasses.
Will I get sick if I don’t wear my glasses in VR?
If you are near-sighted, there is a chance that you might get a headache or strain your eyes if you don’t wear your glasses in VR.
Conclusion
The bottom line is, it depends on your eyesight whether you need to wear glasses in VR or not.
As we discussed in the article, there are factors to be considered if you should wear glasses in VR. But, if you are near-sighted, you definitely have to wear glasses so you can see clearly in VR.
If you don’t want to wear glasses, there are always contact lenses or VR prescription lenses.
Hopefully, this article answers your question and clears up any confusion about the need to wear glasses in VR.
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