Apple’s Vision Pro: A potential path toward vision impairment care

A new ocular device released by Apple could be a key to the future of vision impairment care and assisting those with macular degeneration, writes Paul Budde.

APPLE’S PROPOSED 2025 launch of the Vision Pro headset has created waves in the tech world, promising to merge the virtual and real worlds through an advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) platform.

However, beyond the excitement of immersive entertainment and spatial computing, the Vision Pro also highlights how cutting-edge vision technology is evolving — and raises questions about the potential medical applications for individuals with visual impairments. As in my family, older people suffer from macular degeneration so I was particularly interested in those medical applications and started to research them further.

My question was, could advances like those seen in Apple’s Vision Pro pave the way for transformative tools for people living with conditions like macular degeneration or other forms of vision loss? The following research resulted in a slightly longer article than usual, however, I decided not to abbreviate it further as I believe this is an important issue that goes beyond just entertainment.

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The Vision Pro: A glimpse into the future of augmented and virtual reality

But first let’s look at Apple’s Vision Pro as a headset for spatial computing — a platform where digital content interacts with physical surroundings in a seamless, immersive way.

Equipped with over 23 million pixels on micro-OLED displays, the Vision Pro offers an unparalleled sharpness in digital visuals, providing users with the illusion of high-definition, three-dimensional objects in their actual space. Its VisionOS operating system uses advanced eye-tracking and gesture controls, eliminating the need for traditional input devices like keyboards or controllers.

The inclusion of spatial audio, hand tracking and real-time video overlays marks the Vision Pro as one of the most advanced wearable tech products to date. With such precision in visual and audio input, it’s a clear indication of how far technology has come in simulating natural senses and interactions — key aspects that brought me to investigate if it could be utilised in enhancing tools for visual impairments.

Beyond entertainment: How vision tech is changing lives

I concluded that while Apple markets the Vision Pro primarily as a tool for spatial computing, entertainment and productivity, the underlying technologies could have far-reaching applications in the field of assistive technology for people with visual impairments.

For instance, AR has already made its way into the medical field through devices like eSight and OrCam, both of which offer a glimpse of how vision enhancement tools are evolving. These wearable devices are helping individuals with low vision or blindness interact with their environments in ways that were once thought impossible.

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eSight: Enhancing vision with technology

eSight is a wearable, high-tech set of electronic glasses that provides significant vision enhancement for individuals with conditions like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or other causes of low vision. The device uses a high-resolution camera to capture real-time images and display them on two near-eye screens, allowing users to magnify their surroundings up to 24 times.

With contrast adjustments, brightness control and bioptic tilt for using peripheral vision, eSight gives visually impaired people the ability to read, watch TV and perform other daily tasks.

While Apple's Vision Pro is not specifically designed for medical use, its similar technology – such as real-time visual overlays and dynamic magnification – points toward potential adaptations that could benefit individuals with visual impairments. The ability to create personalised environments where digital elements can be tailored to the user’s needs (such as increasing text size or changing contrasts) could be game-changing for those who need enhanced visual clarity.

OrCam: Audio-based augmentation

Another device that uses advanced technology to assist visually impaired individuals is OrCam, which provides audio feedback to help people navigate their environment. OrCam MyEye, a small camera that clips onto any pair of glasses, reads printed text aloud and recognises faces and objects, helping individuals who are blind or have low vision.

By capturing information visually and transforming it into audio, OrCam offers another way that technology can bridge the gap for those with visual impairments.

Apple’s Vision Pro similarly leverages spatial audio to create immersive environments and provide feedback based on user interaction. If future iterations of devices like the Vision Pro incorporate more advanced object recognition and auditory feedback for navigation, this could lay the groundwork for AR headsets to assist visually impaired users in real-world environments, similar to how OrCam functions today.

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A glimpse into the future: Medical applications of AR and VR

The potential for AR and VR technologies in healthcare, particularly in vision care, is vast. As computational vision technologies continue to advance, there may come a time when headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro could aid beyond entertainment and productivity, offering real-world support for those living with vision loss.

For example, a Vision Pro-like device tailored for medical purposes could:

magnify text and images dynamically to assist those with macular degeneration;
provide auditory cues in environments where sight is limited, guiding users through their surroundings with spatial audio;
recognise faces and objects, announcing them audibly for users with low vision, similar to what OrCam does today; and
tailor visual experiences through real-time contrast and brightness enhancements, allowing users to fine-tune their visual input according to their needs.

Such advancements could greatly improve the independence and quality of life for individuals with visual impairments. With Apple’s expertise in high-resolution displays, AR and intuitive interfaces, their entrance into the vision tech space with the Vision Pro is a promising development for future accessibility technologies.

Challenges and the path forward

However, there are also challenges to adapting such high-end consumer tech for medical use. The Vision Pro’s premium pricing – at around $3,500 – makes it a luxury product, currently aimed at developers and early adopters rather than a mass-market or healthcare-focused solution. Additionally, medical devices typically require more specialised features and rigorous testing before being approved for assistive use, especially in critical areas like vision care.

However, as these technologies mature, companies like Apple could partner with the healthcare industry to create affordable, user-friendly and medically certified versions of their products. As we’ve seen with innovations like eSight and OrCam, there is already a strong demand for devices that help the visually impaired regain some of their lost independence and the evolution of AR/VR devices could further revolutionise this space.

Conclusion

Apple’s Vision Pro represents an exciting leap forward in vision technology, demonstrating the immense possibilities of spatial computing and immersive experiences. While the current focus is on entertainment, work and communication, the advanced technologies underpinning the Vision Pro – such as real-time AR, spatial audio and gesture controls – show incredible promise for future medical applications, particularly in assisting those with visual impairments.

As tech companies like Apple push the boundaries of what AR and VR can achieve, there’s a strong potential for these advancements to cross over into healthcare, helping create new assistive tools that could dramatically improve the lives of people living with low vision or blindness. In this sense, the Vision Pro may not just be a new computing device, it could also be a glimpse into the future of vision care.

Paul Budde is an Independent Australia columnist and managing director of Paul Budde Consulting, an independent telecommunications research and consultancy organisation. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PaulBudde.