Crunchyroll Joins FDA-Approved VR Therapy for Pediatric Lazy Eye

Crunchyroll has partnered with Luminopia to provide anime content for Luminopia’s FDA-approved VR-based therapy for children with amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye. This innovative treatment involves kids watching TV shows, including anime, through a VR headset for one hour a day, six days a week, which promotes the use of the weaker eye by encouraging the brain to combine input from both eyes, unlike traditional methods like patching the stronger eye. The collaboration aims to expand and diversify the content options, making therapy more engaging and enjoyable for young patients, with Crunchyroll’s anime selections appealing to the large base of U.S. teens who are anime fans. Luminopia’s approach is a significant shift from conventional treatments, focusing on stimulating both eyes rather than penalizing the stronger one. This partnership joins other content providers on Luminopia’s platform such as Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, Sesame Workshop, and the Pokémon animated series. The initiative reflects a broader trend of integrating popular entertainment with medical therapy to improve treatment adherence and outcomes for pediatric vision disorders.