Apple Vision Pro users are experimenting wearing the headset without the light seal

A Reddit thread has popped up suggesting Vision Pro owners try wearing the headset in a non-standard configuration, without the large light seal attached.

As modelled by Ray Wong and Scott Stein in the photos above, this seemingly provides a more impactful sense of immersion and wider effective field of view as there is less distance between the wearer’s eyes and the headset’s lenses. The unit also carries less weight when worn like this.

In case it wasn’t obvious, Apple does not recommend using the Vision Pro like this. Of course, the purpose of the light seal is to prevent light and glare from distracting the user from the content being shown on the screens. Especially in fully immersive experiences, light leakage is probably not desirable. But in passthrough mode, using the Vision Pro so close to your face with no seal can make it feel more like a pair of glasses with thick frames while using it.

Effects on eye strain, fit, and durability of the Vision Pro in this configuration are unclear. It’s also unknown whether the Vision Pro stems are strong enough to support the weight like this over the long term. visionOS may throw up error messages that the user’s eyes are too close to the screen. Some may also find it hard to focus on content for extended periods.

Still, it’s a fun little experiment that may give us a little peek about possible future design revisions for the Apple Vision product roadmap. Some enthusiast users are also exploring alternative ways to attach the Vision Pro to their face, like alternative headgear and straps. A less drastic step for people wanting a bigger FOV is to try using smaller light seals — anything that can bring your eyes closer to the lenses will have an effect.