Google Cardboard and Vision Therapy
One of the most rewarding parts about being a Vision Therapist is the opportunities to think of creative and effective ways to help our patients. A common issue with many patients in Vision Therapy is that both eyes are not working together properly due to functional problems in the visual system. This can result in double vision which can be a symptom of many different visual conditions such as strabismus (eye turns), convergence insufficiency, or other binocular vision problems.
Google Cardboard is a virtual reality platform developed by Google for use with a fold-out cardboard mount for a smartphone. It is intended as a low cost system to encourage interest and development in virtual reality. For us here at DVT, it can help patients see and experience depth using both eyes. You can buy Google Cardboard for as low as $10 and many of the apps are free at the Google Play Store. Google Cardboard is a lower cost solution for those who don’t have access to the latest developer’s virtual reality device (Oculus Rift). It really does fit the bill quite nicely!
We use Google Cardboard ourselves and with our patients. Here are some apps that we enjoy. Keep in mind, new virtual reality apps are constantly being released.
–Discovery VR
–VR Roller Coaster
–VR Kanoid
–Lamper VR
–Cave Explorer (VR Cave Explorer)
–Mystical Cave VR
If you are prone to dizziness, try starting out with just a few minutes on Google Cardboard. It can feel like a full body experience.