Purpose

This study investigates whether virtual distant viewing technology can prevent nearwork-induced ocular parameter changes.

Methods

Twenty-six volunteers read a textbook on one day and the same content on a virtual distant viewing display on another day based on a randomization sequence, with both reading sessions at 33 cm for 4 hours. Visual acuity, diopter, ocular biology, visual fatigue, and accommodative function before and after the nearwork, as well as the number of pages read, were recorded.

Results

After 4 hours of nearwork in the textbook group, the spherical equivalent refraction decreased from −3.13 ± 2.65 D to −3.32 ± 2.70 D (P < 0.001), corneal thickness decreased from 531.6 ± 33.5 μm to 528.9 ± 33.0 μm (P = 0.015), anterior chamber depth decreased from 3.65 ± 0.35 mm to 3.60 ± 0.30 mm (P = 0.002), accommodative facility increased from 15.1 ± 3.5 to 16.4 ± 3.9 (P = 0.018), and subjective visual fatigue increased from 14.0 ± 9.2 to 19.3 ± 7.6 (P = 0.002); no significant changes were seen in the other parameters. In the virtual distant viewing group, the spherical equivalent refraction (from −3.17 ± 2.60 D to −3.11 ± 2.73 D, P = 0.427), corneal thickness (from 531.9 ± 32.8 μm to 529.7 ± 33.2 μm, P = 0.054), and anterior chamber depth (from 3.67 ± 0.35 mm to 3.69 ± 0.32 mm, P = 0.331) did not show significant changes, whereas accommodative facility increased from 14.7 ± 5.8 to 15.9 ± 5.5 (P = 0.042) and subjective visual fatigue increased from 13.5 ± 8.4 to 18.9 ± 8.6 (P = 0.002). In addition, choroidal thickness (from 217.7 ± 76.0 μm to 243.0 ± 85.0 μm, P = 0.043), positive relative accommodation (from −2.32 ± 1.07 D to −2.85 ± 0.89 D, P = 0.007), and amplitude of accommodation (from 7.26 ± 1.41 D to 7.89 ± 1.69 D, P = 0.022) also significantly increased in the virtual distant viewing group. The textbook group and the virtual distant viewing group read 176.0 ± 133.1 pages and 188.0 ± 102.0 pages, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.708).

Conclusion

Virtual distant viewing technology can prevent the increase in myopia degree due to nearwork and improve accommodation function without increasing visual fatigue.

Search results

Effects of virtual distant viewing technology on preventing nearwork-induced ocular parameter changes