I wasn't quite sure where to post this question, and it may be silly, but here goes. The forums dont have a "medical questions" category, and while it does involve hardware controllers and software and so on, I thought it might get a wider read here.

I've been playing around with some free headtracking stuff for FSX (first FaceTrackNOIR and now Free Track and was considering TrackIR) and really like the immersion they give.

However, I was wondering, do any of you out there who use these or or other headtracking software notice any effect they may have on your eyes. It seems that whenever I come off a session using Free Track, I seem to imagine some sort of short-term residual effect where my eyes, I don't know .... wobble a bit. It goes away, but it does seem noticeable.

I'm 61 and wear glasses, so maybe it's some function of that, or perhaps it's some effect from the refresh rate of the monitor or the constant back-and-forth of my eyes to look while holding my head steady.

It's almost noticeable enough to make me give up the headtracking stuff, although I'm kinda spoiled now.

I suppose I should add some caveat about not holding anyone responsible for "unqualified medical advice," so there you have it.

 

It may all be in my head, but let me know if you have any "Now that you mention it" stories.

 

Thanks.

 

I find if I only have a single glass instead of two, I don't have a problem (sorry, couldn't resisit it.) In all seriousness, I can't say I've experienced what you're describing.

I've read of some users experiencing motion sickness until they become accustomed to the tracking device.

 

As for me, I wear progressive lens and find myself having trouble focusing at certain angles.  This sometimes causes mild discomfort or disorientation. 

 

The recommended solution is to go with a single-vision lens for computer flying. As I haven't tried that I tend to limit my TrackIR usage.

 

Ernie

I think with the amount of RF Radiation from WIFI we are all getting, eye problems are the least of your worries :blink: :wacko: :ph34r:

Ha ha, Rockliffe, I should've seen that one coming.

Hi,

 

I've been using TrackIR for over 8 years, with an average use of about 1-2 hours per day.

 

I haven't seen any health or medical issues caused by TrackIR itself, but I do experience eye strain; purely through spending far too much time, far too close to the PC monitor!  :smile:

I think that's what it is with me, too. Just did a flight from my home airport, KEVV, to French Lick without any adverse effect. I tell you, this headtracking is the way to go. It's so natural. And to be able to lean forward and to the left or right for final roll-in for landing is the best.

I think once I relax and get used to it, I'll be OK.

Thanks to all you "Doctors" who responded, ha ha.

 

John

I've been using TrackIR for a couple of years and have no problems.  Some have said that they find it a bit wobbly in the forward-looking view (not to be confused with your 'wobbly vision' after use) - you can flatten out the center portion of the profile or apply the smoothed mode (F7 key is the default) if that is an issue.

 

I did a MedLine search and did not find anything specifically regarding head tracking and vision issues.  Several things on video gaming and computer use causing eye problems but the consensus seems to be that these are not permanent and outside the annoyance of messed up focus, sometimes double vision, etc. there is no harmful residual.  Most of the stuff written relates to younger folks - and extends beyond vision issues (apparently video games and computers in general are making kids fat and stupid).  Older folks tend to require more time to readjust when they've spent time looking at a specific distance (the classic example is reading a book - or maybe in this day and age, reading a Kindle) then looking out at a distance.  Basically the lens of the eye isn't as elastic at 61 as it was when you were 16.  Glasses, bi/tri-focals, etc throw in other confounding factors.

 

From my perspective if TrackIR made me spin like a top and puke on the floor I would still use it - it is that great!  (But maybe there's a different reason - I best heed Howard's advice :blink: )

Bottom line: If it is causing some type of risk to your health, you should stop doing it.

Get your advice from an Eye Doctor not a forum.

If this can be of any help with your query, I had serious vision problems after eye surgery and I did check with my ophthalmologist - who is a professor at the leading eye hospital in the country - whether this FS hobby implying lengthy periods in front of a screen would/could affect eye sight.

 

His recommendations were:

1. to use a projector rather than a computer or TV screen and sit at a distance of more than one meter from it (that image size is very much like real life size though making the immersion experience extremely pleasant!). I am also using Track IR and never had the problem you describe. However I fly only airliners and as such do not have to make too frequent and rapid head rotations as you would in a fighter jet for example or any other frantic war games...  
2. Any game, with or without track IR, may cause dizziness or create eye strain/fatigue to avoid that, you should pause 10 to 15 minutes per hour (just do something else completely different and get away from your screen).

I hope this will help a few who want to pay attention to their eyes, I was reminded that eyes can't be changed during the entire lifetime... so we better take care of them, no one else can help us!

I was told if I don't stop doing that I would go blind. .. So now I wear glasses ...

 

 

I couldn't resist :-)

 

I do wear glasses ( ever since I was 2 years old )..

 

I use trackIR about 5 hours a week with no noticed effects...

I would agree. Don't use headtracking. Health comes first not simming. You won't get another set of eye's. Get your eye's tested and voice your concerns to them.

I think that's what it is with me, too. Just did a flight from my home airport, KEVV, to French Lick without any adverse effect. I tell you, this headtracking is the way to go. It's so natural. And to be able to lean forward and to the left or right for final roll-in for landing is the best.

I think once I relax and get used to it, I'll be OK.

Thanks to all you "Doctors" who responded, ha ha.

 

John

 

Hi John, I did try this software and donated. But I could never get it to work. Would you be so kind as to give me a link for the download. Think I'll give it another go. Thanks in advance.

I think with the amount of RF Radiation from WIFI we are all getting, eye problems are the least of your worries :blink: :wacko: :ph34r:

 

RF does not mean "radiation" in the same way that the "radioactivity" you hear about does. RF is a type of electromagnetic radiation, which operates under via fundamental force and feature of the universe. Radio, microwaves, infrared, visible light, UV, X-ray, gamma etc - they're all made up of streams of massless photons, just of differing frequencies and wavelengths. The human eye just happens to detect a certain range of wavelengths and we call that "light", but really all of these things are the exact same physical phenomenon. This is very very different from nuclear radioactivity in which the nucleus of atoms decay and emit high energy mass-bearing particles that can actually cause direct tissue damage. Radio waves are the lowest energy electromagnetic radiation in the universe in fact - it's highly unlikely that they can cause any damage. We've been bombarded with radio waves since literally the inception of humanity - there's tons of it traveling through space that hits the Earth.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum

 

There's absolutely no demonstrated evidence that I'm aware of that low energy non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (meaning it does not have enough energy to knock electrons off of an atom) like WiFi, cell phones etc causes any harmful health effects. The studies that have been reported on in the media either failed the standard tests of statistical significance that science relies on (the media doesn't care about this and will just report whatever sensationalistic thing they think will get them views) or have a clear political agenda or interest group behind them and don't constitute actual peer reviewed science.