Virtual reality can be used for a wide range of applications, such as Helping restore sight for people who are visually impaired. IrisVision uses a smartphone-based VR system that utilizes the phone’s camera to help people with severe macular degeneration to see better. While it doesn’t actually cure blindness, it does enable users with this vision disorder to carry out tasks — such as reading — that they would otherwise find difficult to do without assistance.
Macular degeneration is a medical condition that often occurs in older people, which is why it is sometimes known as age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). It doesn’t result in total blindness, but it does cause blurred or no vision in the center of a person’s visual field. As a result, it can make it difficult to recognize faces, drive, read, and perform a variety of other activities.