Apple Says Vision Pro Does Not Support Hard Contact Lenses

[MacRumors]

Apple Vision Pro should not be used while wearing hard contact lenses, Apple says in its pre-order process for its new spatial computing headset.

According to a new linked support document, wearing hard contacts "might impact your experience with Apple Vision Pro." Apple goes on to suggest that those who use such contacts when not wearing glasses may be able to use ZEISS Optical Inserts instead.

If you experience difficulty with eye tracking, and your eye care provider has indicated that eye glasses with a comprehensive prescription are an option for you, then you may consider ordering ZEISS Optical Inserts. Otherwise, you may use an alternate form of input such as Pointer Control.

For users who have had monovision corrective surgery, Apple recommends that they consult with an eye care provider for a comprehensive prescription that works within the supported prescription range for Apple Vision Pro. Apple also says that Apple Vision Pro works well with most soft contact lenses, but cosmetic contact lenses are not compatible with the headset and should be removed before using the device.

Apple also offers the following advice for people with a diagnosed vision condition:

Some medical conditions, such as those involving eyelid drooping, changes in eye alignment (including strabismus or lazy eye), or uncontrolled eye movements (including nystagmus) might make it difficult for Apple Vision Pro to properly detect your eyes. This might impact the visual experience.

Apple says that to compensate for any of the above, users can adapt Apple Vision Pro to suit their needs for navigation using the headset's accessibility features. Instead of using their eyes, users can use their wrist, head, index finger, or voice to navigate.

Starting at $3,499, Apple Vision Pro pre-orders are now open, with the devices scheduled to ship to customers on February 2.

Article Link: Apple Says Vision Pro Does Not Support Hard Contact Lenses

 

[aries81]

I dunno, the cons against the AVP are definitely ramping up lately and outweighing the pros.

 

[t0rqx]

Upselling Apple.

 

[KPOM]

Who wears hard contact lenses these days?

 

[doelcm82]

I dunno, the cons against the AVP are definitely ramping up lately and outweighing the pros.

I wore hard contacts in the 1970s. I didn't know they still made them.

I guess there are less than 5 million people who wear hard contacts. For them, this is a con. For everyone else it's a neutral.

I remember when people found out you couldn't use an iPhone with gloves. iPhone sales plummeted. No, I made that up. What really happened was people used hard sausages that they bought at the convenience store.

 

[kylelerner]

Eye hardly think that’s fair

 

[rosegoldoli]

I have an eye condition (keratinous) where i need to wear hard contacts to see properly.. so this is sad to hear

 

[city_17]

Seems like a big downside. Over half of people in most countries wear either glasses or contact lenses, so many people need custom lenses + taking off contact lenses just to use a device seems like a huge barrier for a company that claims its products 'just work'.

They 'just work' *

* If you get your eyes measured and order separately sold lenses, which you need to swap out if a different family member wants to use the vision pro. Also if you wear hard contacts, you need to remove those and get lenses made as well.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Who wears hard contact lenses these days?

People with astigmatism. When you look into a small light at night and it just turns into a smear: that's (usually) astigmatism caused by a distorted lens or cornea. Hard lenses can even that out, they bend your eye into shape.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I have an eye condition (keratinous) where i need to wear hard contacts to see properly.. so this is sad to hear

It says it “might” impact your experience, so if you live near an Apple Store, perhaps you could have a demo and let us know how it worked?

 

[IllegitimateValor]

As pioneers of accessibility, you’d think Apple would have figured out how to make VP only follow one eye if the other is lazy. If it’s possible.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

I have an eye condition (keratinous) where i need to wear hard contacts to see properly.. so this is sad to hear

Same here, I TRIED those tiny hard gas permeable lenses but they were terrible for me, eyes hurt, watering...just a mess! Aggravating condition, the eyesight in my left eye changes every 5-6 months from this. 😖

 

[doelcm82]

People with astigmatism. When you look into a small light at night and it just turns into a smear: that's (usually) astigmatism caused by a distorted lens or cornea. Hard lenses can even that out, they bend your eye into shape.

I have astigmatism, and I wear glasses for that. I also have presbyopia, so I need glasses for reading. The glasses I wear are bifocal.

But I've found that I can see just fine when using the Meta Quest 3, and I haven't had a recent eye exam, so I ordered without inserts. I can opt for them later.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I have astigmatism, and I wear glasses for that. I also have presbyopia, so I need glasses for reading. The glasses I wear are bifocal.

But I've found that I can see just fine when using the Meta Quest 3, and I haven't had a recent eye exam, so I ordered without inserts. I can opt for them later.

The issue is with Eye Tracking. The sensors may not read your eye to detect what are you looking at. And this seems to be a possible issue with Hard Contacts only. Perhaps they figure a way to correct the readings with a software algorithm.

 

[IDSmac]

Does anyone know what prescription range is supported? Can’t find that info anywhere

 

[CharlesShaw]

I predicted in another thread recently that someone will be inspired by AVP to finally get an eye exam where the doctor discovers early signs of a serious illness (cancer, brain tumor, heart disease, diabetes) in time to do something about it.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

So you not only cannot wear glasses with Vision Pro when nearly every other HMD lets you, but also contacts. You essentially have to pay $150 for prescription lenses for the $3500 HMD with no software

How is this gonna effect demos then because I have high astigmatism.

 

[erinsarah]

I have an eye condition (keratinous) where i need to wear hard contacts to see properly.. so this is sad to hear

I have that as well in just one eye, and it's only now occurring to me that this thing might just not work at all for me. Which is good because I can't afford it anyway.

 

[bluespark]

So you not only cannot wear glasses with Vision Pro when nearly every other HMD lets you, but also contacts. You essentially have to pay $150 for prescription lenses for the $3500 HMD with no software

How is this gonna effect demos then because I have high astigmatism.

I do hope the next version will simply accommodate glasses.

 

[victorvictoria]

Imagine spending $4,000 on a pair and finding out it can't track your eyes. Will Apple take them back?

 

[simmepi]

So you not only cannot wear glasses with Vision Pro when nearly every other HMD lets you, but also contacts. You essentially have to pay $150 for prescription lenses for the $3500 HMD with no software

How is this gonna effect demos then because I have high astigmatism.

According to the article this only applies to those wearing hard contact lenses, ie less than 10% of those wearing lenses in the US. Of course it would be better if it was possible to use hard ones as well, but it’s not as if this is a disaster.

 

[charlesdayton]

People with astigmatism. When you look into a small light at night and it just turns into a smear: that's (usually) astigmatism caused by a distorted lens or cornea. Hard lenses can even that out, they bend your eye into shape.

Almost everyone with astigmatism wears toric soft contact lenses. Hard contact lenses are very rare in this day and age. I do have a high prescription of aftigmatism/myopia. I started wearing contacts decades ago, and even then hard contacts were almost non existent.

 

[victorvictoria]

Almost everyone with astigmatism wears toric soft contact lenses. Hard contact lenses are very rare in this day and age. I do have a high prescription of aftigmatism/myopia. I started wearing contacts decades ago, and even then hard contacts were almost non existent.

True enough, though I used glasses to correct the same astigmatism/myopia condition. Until 2019, when I had cataract surgery on my right eye with Toric lenses supplied by Alcon. Vision is now 20/20 in the right eye, and 20/20 corrected in the left. Now I use progressive lens correction in the left eye, with reading correction only in the right eye.

Can't wait to see how Apple deals with that!

 

[MallardDuck]

Almost everyone with astigmatism wears toric soft contact lenses. Hard contact lenses are very rare in this day and age. I do have a high prescription of aftigmatism/myopia. I started wearing contacts decades ago, and even then hard contacts were almost non existent.

Depends on how bad it is. Mine can’t be corrected with soft lenses anywhere near as well as with gas perm, which I’ve been using since the early 80s. The newest innovation though is scleral lenses which eliminate dry eye and eye strain problems and provide vastly superior vision correction.

This is a DOA level limitation for me. No way will I take them out just to use a headset. Really unfortunate design choice.

 

[DblHelix]

I was extremely disappointed this info did not come out earlier. Up at 5am to order. Made the decision to order them and now have to sit and wait if they work with my hard contacts or if with my horrible vision the ZEISS inserts can even be made to work for me.