VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) refers to computer-generated simulations of interactive, three-dimensional environments. By wearing a device called the Head Mounted Display (HMD)[1], users are able to immerse themselves in a different world. VR is no longer a scientific breakthrough or an invention seen in works of science fiction but a familiar technology that is being integrated into our daily lives. Aside from the entertainment and gaming industries, VR is being applied to more diverse fields––one less-thought-of field being medicine and healthcare.

Using VR for medical training

   VR is utilized to aid medical professionals, including medical students and doctors. VR provides a more convenient and effective way of studying human anatomy and medical procedures by creating immersive simulations. It also offers helpful features such as virtual medical scenarios for each student and VR classrooms for real-time lectures. Anatomy Explorer, the first complete VR anatomical atlas, allows students to engage with photorealistic graphics of the human body. With this program, students can not only individually examine 10,000 anatomical structures from different angles, but also dissect them for better observation[2]. Anatomy Explorer also turns two-dimensional Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans into three-dimensional models, allowing the user to view the models’ internal structures from any desired visual plane.

   Due to the convenience and the range of functions VR technology offers, an increasing number of universities are adopting VR software as a part of their medical curriculum. For instance, in 2021, South Korea’s Kyung-hee University was the first to implement a hybrid anatomy curriculum that combines conventional cadaver labs and VR software. A notable number of medical schools around the world are also shifting to VR technology when it comes to studying 3D renderings of the human body.

   Trained professionals, especially those preparing for high-risk surgeries, also use VR software. An example of such software is Osso VR, a surgical simulation platform that allows surgeons to practice surgery with actual medical devices used in operating rooms[3]. The user only has to set up the hardware, calibrate the sensor cameras, and launch the desired training scenarios. Osso VR offers great flexibility as the software is easily customizable and training can be conducted without its users being restricted by time and location. For example, virtual operating rooms enable health professionals to practice surgeries collaboratively while having complete access to the necessary resources online, which is essential for optimizing surgical procedures in real life.

Using VR to treat mental disorders

   Virtual reality is also an emerging tool for treating patients with mental disorders. One example is using VR to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a psychological condition caused by distressing events such as violent physical assaults, bullying, and military combat, among many others. Symptoms of PTSD include experiencing intrusive memories of the event, flashbacks, and severe anxiety[4]. Individuals struggling with PTSD may receive significant help from VR programs including Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), which—by helping individuals confront the source of their distress in exposing them to multisensory cues that evoke traumatic memories—seeks to control the patient’s fear and reduce their avoidance toward certain trauma. Such a process helps individuals overcome the psychological grip that PTSD has over their daily lives.

   For instance, VRET is used to treat PTSD in combat veterans, with Virtual Vietnam and Virtual Iraq being representative examples. In 1997, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University started testing Virtual Vietnam. The program exposed Vietnam War veterans to virtual sceneries of jungles and the Bell Iroquois helicopter, reinforced with auditory effects of shouting voices, rockets, and explosions[5]. In 2004, a project by the University of Southern California’s (USC) Institute for Creative Technologies led to the birth of Virtual Iraq. Virtual Iraq consists of Middle Eastern-themed imageries, including elements such as warehouses, mosques, deserts, battle wreckage, and human figures. Clinicians can use a separate interface to introduce and control relevant audio, vibrotactile, and olfactory stimuli to best resemble the patients’ descriptions of their experience on the battlefield[5]. Since these VR programs are flexible and customizable, they provide an effective treatment catered to the individual needs of each patient. In fact, research shows that Virtual Iraq contributed to alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression in 20 Iraq War veterans afflicted with PTSD[6]. 

   Aside from PTSD, virtual reality is also being implemented in the treatment of psychosis, a mental condition characterized by a plethora of symptoms including hallucinations and delusions[7]. Understandably, patients with psychosis experience intense fear and anxiety in everyday situations, which often develop into agoraphobia––the fear and avoidance of being in situations where one would feel trapped or helpless[4]. Agoraphobic patients fear partaking in normal, everyday activities, such as using public transportation, standing in line, or being in a crowd. The program gameChange VR attempts to target such fears to treat psychosis. With the guidance of a virtual coach, gameChange VR allows the user to practice real-life activities such as buying coffee or getting on the bus in order to build the patient’s confidence to face these challenges in real life[8]. According to a study published in Lancet Psychiatry, gameChange VR therapy contributed to significantly reducing in patients’ avoidance of, or distress toward, everyday situations, proving to be more effective than typical treatments for agoraphobia. 

The future of digital healthcare

   Although medical professionals and patients can both reap the benefits of such an innovative digital technology, there are emerging concerns about the use of VR in healthcare. For example, the shift to cadaver-less classrooms raises the problem of students being unable to observe the anatomical diversity of natural human bodies. Interacting with virtual simulations might also lead to students losing touch with the emotional and moral aspects of working with and caring for a living, breathing being[9]. As for the patients, there are possible side-effects to VR treatments. One such VR-induced side-effect is “cybersickness,” which generally includes headaches, dizziness, and discomfort from being exposed to the VR environment for a prolonged period of time[10].

   Despite many unanswered questions and doubts about VR technology, VR is expected to expand further into the healthcare industry in recognition of its application. For instance, medical professionals can use multisensory VR experiences to distract patients from pain, allowing VR to function as an analgesic. Additionally, VR can be used to better visualize DNA or protein sequences and structures from genomic data, which can accelerate many drug development processes[11].

   VR illustrates just a few of the inexorable ways through which digital technology may transform healthcare. Although there are still limits to fully relying on Virtual Reality, the burgeoning digital healthcare sector is anticipated to act as a catalyst for optimizing healthcare services in the years to come. 

[1] Head Mounted Display (HMD): Headgear used to display VR simulations

[2] Virtual Medicine

[3] Osso VR

[4] Mayo Clinic

[5] Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

[6] Maeil Business

[7] WebMD

[8] NHS Oxford Health

[9] Scientific American

[10] Journal of Cyber Therapy and Rehabilitation

[11] BMC Bioinformatics