The Effect of Retinal Eccentricity on Visually Induced Motion Sickness and Postural Control

The present study investigated the effect of retinal eccentricity on visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) and postural control. Participants wore a head-mounted display masked for the central 10 degrees (peripheral vision), the peripheral except for the central 10 degrees (central vision), or unmasked (control) to watch a highly immersive 3D virtual reality (VR) ride along China's Great Wall. The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire was administered to assess VIMS symptoms before and after the VR exposure. In addition, postural sway data were collected via sensors attached to each participant's head, torso, and hip. Results demonstrated that peripheral vision triggered the most severe symptoms of motion sickness, whereas full vision most perturbed posture. The latter finding contradicts previous research findings demonstrating the peripheral advantage of postural control. Although the source of compromised postural control under peripheral stimulation is not clear, the provocative nature of visual stimulation depicting a roller-coaster ride along a rugged path likely contributed to the contradictory findings. In contrast, motion sickness symptoms were least severe, and posture was most stable, under central vision. These findings provide empirical support for the tactic assumed by VR engineers who reduce the size of the field of view to ameliorate the symptoms of motion sickness.