5 ways virtual reality is improving patient experiences and health outcomes

vr is taking fake worlds and turning them into real life improvements for a variety of people with various chronic diseases and conditions

by angelica bottaro

published may 13, 2024

5 minute read

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5 minute read

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using vr in healthcare can help improve overall quality of life for those with chronic diseases. getty images

when hearing the term virtual reality (vr), the mind often goes to video games and other recreational situations where a person can immerse themselves in another form of reality for fun. the concept of vr was first imagined in american writer stanley weinbaum’s fictional short story, “pygmalion’s spectacles,” in which a character uses goggles to transport themselves into a fictional world. it wasn’t until the late 1950s when morton heilig, a cinematographer, created the first tangible version of the immersive experience to help improve the way people enjoyed cinema.

since then, modern technology has transformed vr far beyond what it was initially intended. now, vr is being used in all sorts of spaces, including healthcare, and there are many ways in which the once-recreational technology is being utilized to improve the patient experience.

mood disorder treatment

mood disorders are often difficult to treat. while there are viable and effective medications and medical interventions that provide relief, vr has been introduced into the mental health space to help improve and progress treatment in these areas for those who need something a little extra.

research

shows that combining vr with cognitive behavioural therapy (cbt), a form of mental health treatment that calls on people to recognize, assess, and change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in a way that addresses mood disorder symptoms, can be an effective way of improving a person’s ability to heal from these afflictions, more so than if they were to use talk therapy or medication alone.

conditions including depression, ptsd, anxiety, and phobias, have all been studied using cbt-based vr technology. the technology works by helping people recreate or imagine scenarios that are conducive to healing their conditions, such as exposure therapy for anxiety or recreating traumatic events to improve a person’s coping abilities in ptsd.

rehabilitation and recovery

going through recovery from injuries and stroke can be complex and challenging, especially where motivation is concerned. people can feel debilitated and, in turn, become less likely to perform the tasks necessary for recovery due to the emotional nature of the recovery process. when a person is disinterested or feels negatively about their ability to recover, their journey toward wellness becomes stifled.

however, research shows that when people recovering from physical injuries use vr, they help to speed up their healing times. this vr application works by immersing patients in real-life scenarios in a virtual environment.

people who have had a stroke, for example, can put on a vr headset and practice movements or rehabilitation exercises virtually in a way that helps improve motivation and rehabilitation adherence, according to research.

chronic pain management

there is no cure for chronic pain, and current interventions often involve medications, therapies, and lifestyle interventions. even so, some of those living with chronic pain will never find relief. living with pain on a daily basis can severely impact a person’s quality of life and mental health.

research shows that people living with painful conditions are two to three times more likely to experience suicidality than those without a history of chronic pain. because of how challenging it can be to live in constant pain and the lack of often-viable treatments, new interventions are needed—with vr being the new modality in town showing promise.

to use vr for chronic pain, people escape to tranquil environments in a way that helps to redirect their thought process away from their chronic pain, as well as improve and learn about pain responses, breathing exercises, and other calming techniques to help reduce the feelings of discomfort.

this technology touches on mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery, and ctb to improve pain scores, stress, and other mentally driven contributors to chronic pain. it can also be used as a simple distraction from pain, giving the brain a break from receiving pain signals and providing relief to those who need it most.

improving well-being in dementia-related diseases

dementia and dementia-related diseases severely impact a person’s quality of life, and often, medical treatments can only provide minimal relief for symptoms since these diseases are so debilitating because of the neuro-effects. according to the world health organization, “dementia is the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.”

current research is looking to use vr in a way that doesn’t cure or change the course of dementia-related diseases but can help improve symptoms and quality of life. it can also treat the disease in other ways. for example, studies are currently investigating how vr can address loneliness in those living with alzheimer’s disease. other ways vr can address dementia-related symptoms include:

improving feelings of apathy and depression
provide an overall sense of calm
reduce stress levels
distract from pain
improve memory recall while also helping to improve the types of memories recalled, such as happier and more relaxed times in a person’s life

vr is already being used in real-time for older adults living in long-term care home, specifically the dogwood lodge in vancouver. the residents, many of whom live with dementia, use vr daily to experience new adventures in life, whether it be skydiving or visiting foreign places they may or may not have had the chance to visit during their lifetimes. the program is part of the virtual reality program in long-term care project, co-lead by dr. lillian hung, a vancouver coastal health medical researcher. the results from the project have shown that vr has its place in long-term care, especially for those with dementia, because of its ability to spark joy, feelings of adventure, and the chance to continue to experience life safely.

research continues to search for new ways that vr can help dementia-related diseases, with a new area of study being centred around the senses and how creating positive sensory experiences for those with these conditions can improve overall well-being. it’s also being used to foster better communication between patients and their families and caregivers.

correcting vision

there are various types of eye diseases that can cause low vision or vision loss. conditions that affect a person’s ability to see have been shown to decrease overall quality of life because of the way they affect mental health and life satisfaction. vr aims to change that for people with vision-related diseases.

various studies have investigated the use of vr as it correlates with diseases and conditions that cause vision loss and found that it can positively affect several parameters of vision, including stereopsis, contrast sensitivity, and visual acuity. it can also train one eye at a time, meaning that it’s potentially useful for conditions that affect only one eye at a time.

some eye conditions that can be improved with the use of vr include:

myopia
amblyopia
presbyopia
age-related macular degeneration

while the application of vr in healthcare is just gaining momentum, the vast collection of data to support its use in various diseases shows that this may be the beginning of virtual reality in healthcare, and the future looks promising, even if most of it exists in a fictional realm.

angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

5 ways virtual reality is improving patient experiences and health outcomes