Important Tips for Glasses-Wearing Simracers

While seemingly a small niche within the gaming and simulator sectors, simracing has become increasingly popular in recent years. Data from MarketsandMarkets indicate that the global simracing market is projected to grow from $500 million in 2024 to $1.1 billion by 2030. The increasing popularity of virtual simracing events and the growing use of racing simulators for entertainment purposes are considered factors for the rapid market growth. At the same time, simracing is also used for professional racers in their training.

As simracing continues to grow in popularity, more and more people across different demographics have come to enjoy the activity. This includes, of course, many glasses-wearers who may need them for vision correction or other eye-related conditions. Unfortunately, between moving chairs and virtual reality, some simracing setups may make wearing glasses an inconvenience, even when you need them. In this post, we’ll be sharing some must-know tips for glasses-wearing simracers to enjoy simracing comfortably:

Finding the right eyeglasses

Depending on your simracing setup, wearing glasses during long simracing sessions can get uncomfortable or even painful. Some newer simracing machines have introduced “feedback” features that dynamically move the player’s chair according to the virtual car’s movements and other in-game events, which can easily displace your glasses. Similarly, some styles of glasses can feel too tight or clamped after long hours of use.

As such, finding the right eyeglasses for simracing can elevate your experience. You can opt for thinner and more lightweight eyeglasses frames for added comfort. Models like Oakley’s Socket 5.0, which you can buy on popular retailer Glasses.com, boast simple black, thin frames. This ensures your glasses won’t feel heavy after long hours of use. Thinner frames also ensures your vision isn’t disrupted by chunky, colorful frames, allowing for a more immersive simracing experience.

Using glasses-compatible VR headsets

Nowadays, many simracers also opt for virtual reality experiences for a more immersive experience. Of course, this introduces a problem for glasses-wearers, as some VR goggles may not be compatible with glasses use. Aside from your lenses and frames possibly getting in the way of the headset, some VR headsets can also get their lenses scratched by your glasses if not worn properly.

Fortunately, to prevent these problems, you can also try investing in glasses-compatible headsets. For example, Sony’s new VR headset, the PSVR2, are designed and built with glasses in mind. Regardless of your eyeglasses frames and lens sizes, the headset will work seamlessly without clamping onto your glasses. This is because the headset is designed with enough space between its own lenses to your eyes, so you won’t feel any extra pressure or discomfort when simracing for long periods.

Trying prescription inserts for AR glasses

Finally, people who may experience motion sickness or feelings of discomfort when using VR may opt for augmented reality (AR) instead. Unfortunately, some AR glasses may not support corrective prescription, which can cause problems if you have blurry or distorted vision without your glasses.

You can opt for AR glasses with compatible prescription inserts to circumvent this. For example, augmented reality company Nreal’s Nreal Air glasses, which were marketed to compete with smart glasses from Apple, Meta, and other tech giants, support prescription lens inserts to enhance your vision and maintain an immersive, digital viewing experience. These prescription inserts can be tailored to fit your Nreal glasses perfectly to ensure no distortion, which will be useful when simracing in AR.

If you liked this post, you can check out our previous post on the potential mental health effects of simracing, like mental fatigue, and how mindful focus and taking breaks can help.