Last reviewed: November 2026. This guide is for general information and is not medical or legal advice.
Headsets work by tracking the person wearing them: head and hand movement, sometimes eyes and voice. In healthcare that tracking sits alongside sensitive medical information. The main concerns are privacy, physical side effects, the safety of children and other vulnerable groups, and whether the benefits reach everyone.
Key takeaways
- Privacy: a 2024 review ranked the inference of personal and health data from VR usage as the most significant threat.
- Physical effects: the FDA lists headaches, neck pain, eye strain, motion sickness and fatigue among possible risks.
- Children: side effects and long-term risks are less well understood in pediatric and other vulnerable groups.
- Access: the FDA notes these technologies could widen existing gaps in diagnosis and treatment.
In this guide
Data privacy and security
A 2024 scoping review of cybersecurity and privacy in extended reality health care analyzed 29 publications. Its starting point is that consumer-grade VR collects a wide range of data about the user in order to work at all.
- Inference. The review’s most significant concern is that personal and health-related information may be inferred from how someone uses VR, which could breach confidentiality even when no medical record is shared.
- Identification. Combined with machine learning, usage data can be used to identify and profile individuals.
- Manipulation. An attack that alters what a user sees in an immersive environment could affect their physical safety, a risk that ordinary software does not carry in the same way.
The FDA makes a related point in its patient guidance on AR and VR: these devices may collect data that is personal and private in nature.
Physical side effects
The FDA’s overview of AR and VR devices names cybersickness and head and neck strain among the probable risks, as MedTech Dive reported. Its guidance for health care professionals adds headaches, eye strain, fatigue and, for staff, distraction in the operating room.
In the trials covered by our other guides, side effects were usually mild and short-lived. They are still a reason to start with short sessions and to stop if someone feels unwell.
Children and vulnerable groups
The FDA’s AR and VR page lists unknown side effects and risks, particularly in children and other vulnerable populations, as an open issue. A background paper for its 2022 patient advisory committee adds that some groups may be less able to weigh risks against benefits and give informed consent.
Access and fairness
The FDA sees potential for AR and VR to bring care into people’s homes. It also warns that they could worsen disparities in diagnosis and treatment if disadvantaged and underserved groups have less access to them. The agency notes too that devices differ in size and weight and may not be comfortable for every body type or position.
Questions to ask
- What data does this device collect, where is it stored, and who can see it?
- Is it a medical device reviewed by a regulator, or a consumer product?
- What side effects should I watch for, and when should I stop?
- Is it suitable for a child of this age?
For the wider picture, see our guides to virtual reality in healthcare and augmented reality in healthcare.
Common questions
What data do VR headsets collect?
Headsets track head and hand movement, and sometimes eyes and voice. A 2024 review found that personal and health-related information may be inferred from this usage data.
What are the physical side effects of VR and AR?
The FDA lists headaches, neck pain, eye strain, motion sickness and fatigue among the possible risks. In trials, side effects were usually mild and short-lived.
Is VR safe for children?
The FDA says side effects and long-term risks are less well understood in children and other vulnerable groups. Ask whether a product is suitable for the child’s age.
Sources
- Lake K, et al. Cybersecurity and Privacy Issues in Extended Reality Health Care Applications: Scoping Review. JMIR XR and Spatial Computing, 2024.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Medical Devices.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions to Consider When Talking to Your Health Care Professional About Using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Your Care.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions to Consider When Deciding Whether to Use Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Devices in Your Practice.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Executive Summary for the Patient Engagement Advisory Committee Meeting: Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Medical Devices, July 2022.
- MedTech Dive. FDA overview of AR/VR medical devices: benefits and risks.
