gadget guru
T3’ s all-seeing sensei is here to lead your eyes into virtual worlds
Our tech know-it-all answers your most burning questions, including, um, ‘Can you recommend a glue gun?’ True story
It’s not a cheap option, but you can do away with your specs by picking up replacement lenses that match your prescription
Do any VR solutions work for glasses wearers?
AShort answer: yes. The neat headset design of the PS VR (£234.99) means it hovers comfortably over all but the most ridiculous spectacles.
Long answer: yes, but. You have a pair of lenses that have been crafted to suit your eyes perfectly. They’re very specific, and designed for looking forwards; move your eyes around and you’ll probably see a slight distortion in your peripheral vision. Place another lens in front of this, add in some screen door effect, and you’re doubling the potential for odd visual twistery.
It may be worth trying a more reasonably priced headset – a Daydream unit, maybe, or the Oculus Go (see p90) to see if your brain is compatible before moving on to the big boy toys.
Guru should also point out the PS VR is just for the PS 4. If you’re on PC, you’re looking at an HT C Vive (£499) or an Oculus Rift (£399). The latter is slightly better for the bespectacled, though it’ll likely press quite hard on the arms of your glasses. The Vive is a tougher fit, but it’s at least possible to use. You may find you can tweak the internal lenses to suit your eyes enough that you don’t have to wear your glasses at all – both headsets are adjustable.
If that doesn’t work, head over to vr-lens-lab.com and pick up some replacement lenses that exactly match your prescription. Not a cheap option, but one which does away with those pesky specs altogether. And if you’re really getting serious, GaGu’s now offering Definitely Not Lasik surgery in his garage. Hold still…