Welp... Apple Was Right

When Apple first introduced their Vision Pro mixed reality / spatial computing headset, like many people I was taken aback by its $3500 price tag (minimum specs). What made it an even harder pill to swallow, was the fact you cannot use it while wearing glasses.

As someone with pretty bad eyesight, I have been able to use many generations of VR and AR products – either out of the box, or using simple gaskets/inserts. Honestly, I felt like I was being fleeced by having to shell out extra money for prescription lens inserts. It just didn’t feel right. It was as if you get a phone without a charger, or a pen tablet without a pen.

It’s just Apple being Apple, I assumed.

Naturally, I still scheduled a demo on day one. Naturally, I was really impressed by how capable the device was. Naturally, I still did not see a real reason to buy one.

Despite a truly mind-blowing progress of XR devices over the last decade, headsets still are specialty items. Useful for a few specific tasks, but nowhere nearly as universal as a desktop, laptop or a phone.

I might have been tempted to get it for the purpose of best-in-class experience when demoing my XR content to clients—but the whole arm-and-a-leg and lenses are extra situation soured me on the affair.

Instead, I kept using Meta Quest 3 as my XR daily driver. It is way cheaper (and truth be told, it feels way cheaper too), but it’s got great optics, solid tracking, and is just what I need for either XR testing, or simply going into a full isolation mode to watch a movie, or a tutorial in my 1-person virtual cinema theater.

Best of all (or so I thought) I can use it with my glasses.

A few months ago, after getting a new prescription from an optometrist and ordering new glasses, I decided to take a plunge and get corrective lenses for my headset. I had a coupon for a purchase from a company called VR Rock making the cost of the experiment fairly acceptable.

It. Was. So. Worth it.

First – despite being located in China, VR Rock had my lenses ready and in shipping in less than 24 hours after placing an order. This was highly unusual, as my prescription is quite strong, and I never experienced anyone just having it in stock. In just under two weeks I had the kit in my hands – and it completely changed how I interact with my headset.

Before, my experience using HMDs would be best described as “functional”. The pressure on the glasses would make me quite weary of long VR sessions. With new lenses I just pop the headset on and off at will. Once on – the image is extremely clear, and does not wobble as it often would when wearing corrective glasses under the HMD.

I can also finally utilize the full field of vision offered by the headset. Glasses often forced a certain amount of tunnel vision in my experience.

Finally – I don’t need extra gaskets, extensions and fully-extruded lens position, making the headset’s center of gravity much more comfortable.

The lenses are magnetically attached, so it’s really easy to pop them out in case I want to share my Quest with someone else. Freaking awesome.

Ever since I got these lenses, I have been using the headset daily. That’s quite a change from before, when I’d turn it on at most once a week or so.

Within a few days of using the new lenses, I was completely sold on the idea. I immediately ordered another set—this time for my Valve Index—eliminating friction of using either of the headsets.

Best of all—it took less time for VR Rock to cut, grind, polish, coat, frame and ship two sets of lenses all the way from China to Seattle, than for my local optician—who still had me waiting on my regular prescription glasses.

Prescription lenses changed the way I use XR daily.

I cannot overstate how transformative of an experience it is to make this switch. No more glass frames pushing on the face. No more contact lenses drying out in minutes. to anyone who uses headsets. Just pure immersion and sense of presence. I strongly recommend it to anyone using prescription lenses.

…and credit, where credit is due – Apple had it right all along. If you want a premium experience in XR, you should not try to squeeze your glasses into a headset.

Disclaimer
I have set up an affiliate referral program with VR Rock. If you use my link to purchase lenses from them, I will receive a small kick-back. The financial motivation is minimal, and has no influence over my opinion of their service and product.