diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 60073f8d2b..ce15f319cd 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ void Application::paintGL() {
         if (whichCamera.getMode() == CAMERA_MODE_MIRROR) {
             OculusManager::display(whichCamera.getRotation(), whichCamera.getPosition(), whichCamera);
         } else {
-            OculusManager::display(_myAvatar->getWorldAlignedOrientation(), whichCamera.getPosition(), whichCamera);
+            OculusManager::display(_myAvatar->getWorldAlignedOrientation(), _myAvatar->getDefaultEyePosition(), whichCamera);
         }
 
     } else if (TV3DManager::isConnected()) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 51f582c4f8..51e21942f1 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -997,6 +997,10 @@ glm::vec3 MyAvatar::getUprightHeadPosition() const {
     return _position + getWorldAlignedOrientation() * glm::vec3(0.0f, getPelvisToHeadLength(), 0.0f);
 }
 
+glm::vec3 MyAvatar::getDefaultEyePosition() const {
+    return _position + getWorldAlignedOrientation() * _skeletonModel.getDefaultEyeModelPosition();
+}
+
 const float SCRIPT_PRIORITY = DEFAULT_PRIORITY + 1.0f;
 const float RECORDER_PRIORITY = SCRIPT_PRIORITY + 1.0f;
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index e38f3f4b2b..10c3e878cc 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public:
     const glm::vec3& getMouseRayDirection() const { return _mouseRayDirection; }
     glm::vec3 getGravity() const { return _gravity; }
     glm::vec3 getUprightHeadPosition() const;
+    glm::vec3 getDefaultEyePosition() const;
     bool getShouldRenderLocally() const { return _shouldRender; }
     
     const QList<AnimationHandlePointer>& getAnimationHandles() const { return _animationHandles; }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index 86ca42b15e..1af5cfc893 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ SkeletonModel::SkeletonModel(Avatar* owningAvatar, QObject* parent) :
     _owningAvatar(owningAvatar),
     _boundingShape(),
     _boundingShapeLocalOffset(0.0f),
-    _ragdoll(NULL) {
+    _ragdoll(NULL),
+    _defaultEyeModelPosition(glm::vec3(0.f, 0.f, 0.f)) {
 }
 
 SkeletonModel::~SkeletonModel() {
@@ -470,23 +471,23 @@ bool SkeletonModel::getNeckParentRotationFromDefaultOrientation(glm::quat& neckP
     return success;
 }
 
-bool SkeletonModel::getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const {
+bool SkeletonModel::getEyeModelPositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const {
     if (!isActive()) {
         return false;
-    }
+        }
     const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    if (getJointPositionInWorldFrame(geometry.leftEyeJointIndex, firstEyePosition) &&
-            getJointPositionInWorldFrame(geometry.rightEyeJointIndex, secondEyePosition)) {
+    if (getJointPosition(geometry.leftEyeJointIndex, firstEyePosition) &&
+        getJointPosition(geometry.rightEyeJointIndex, secondEyePosition)) {
         return true;
     }
     // no eye joints; try to estimate based on head/neck joints
     glm::vec3 neckPosition, headPosition;
-    if (getJointPositionInWorldFrame(geometry.neckJointIndex, neckPosition) &&
-            getJointPositionInWorldFrame(geometry.headJointIndex, headPosition)) {
+    if (getJointPosition(geometry.neckJointIndex, neckPosition) &&
+        getJointPosition(geometry.headJointIndex, headPosition)) {
         const float EYE_PROPORTION = 0.6f;
         glm::vec3 baseEyePosition = glm::mix(neckPosition, headPosition, EYE_PROPORTION);
         glm::quat headRotation;
-        getJointRotationInWorldFrame(geometry.headJointIndex, headRotation);
+        getJointRotation(geometry.headJointIndex, headRotation);
         const float EYES_FORWARD = 0.25f;
         const float EYE_SEPARATION = 0.1f;
         float headHeight = glm::distance(neckPosition, headPosition);
@@ -497,6 +498,15 @@ bool SkeletonModel::getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& seco
     return false;
 }
 
+bool SkeletonModel::getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const {
+    if (getEyeModelPositions(firstEyePosition, secondEyePosition)) {
+        firstEyePosition = _translation + _rotation * firstEyePosition;
+        secondEyePosition = _translation + _rotation * secondEyePosition;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 void SkeletonModel::renderRagdoll() {
     if (!_ragdoll) {
         return;
@@ -656,6 +666,20 @@ void SkeletonModel::buildShapes() {
     // This method moves the shapes to their default positions in Model frame.
     computeBoundingShape(geometry);
 
+    int headJointIndex = _geometry->getFBXGeometry().headJointIndex;
+    if (0 <= headJointIndex && headJointIndex < _jointStates.size()) {
+        glm::vec3 leftEyePosition, rightEyePosition;
+        getEyeModelPositions(leftEyePosition, rightEyePosition);
+        glm::vec3 midEyePosition = (leftEyePosition + rightEyePosition) / 2.f;
+
+        int rootJointIndex = _geometry->getFBXGeometry().rootJointIndex;
+        glm::vec3 rootModelPosition;
+        getJointPosition(rootJointIndex, rootModelPosition);
+
+        _defaultEyeModelPosition = midEyePosition - rootModelPosition;
+        _defaultEyeModelPosition.z = -_defaultEyeModelPosition.z;
+    }
+
     // While the shapes are in their default position we disable collisions between
     // joints that are currently colliding.
     disableCurrentSelfCollisions();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
index ca0007ddb4..35122d5e18 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ public:
     /// \return whether or not both eye meshes were found
     bool getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const;
 
+    /// Gets the default position of the mid eye point in model frame coordinates.
+    /// \return whether or not the head was found.
+    glm::vec3 getDefaultEyeModelPosition() const { return _defaultEyeModelPosition; }
+
     virtual void updateVisibleJointStates();
 
     SkeletonRagdoll* buildRagdoll();
@@ -140,12 +144,16 @@ private:
     /// \param position position of joint in model-frame
     /// \param rotation rotation of joint in model-frame
     void setHandPosition(int jointIndex, const glm::vec3& position, const glm::quat& rotation);
+
+    bool getEyeModelPositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const;
     
     Avatar* _owningAvatar;
 
     CapsuleShape _boundingShape;
     glm::vec3 _boundingShapeLocalOffset;
     SkeletonRagdoll* _ragdoll;
+
+    glm::vec3 _defaultEyeModelPosition;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_SkeletonModel_h
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index 2031035726..858d8c9239 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -602,6 +602,14 @@ bool Model::getJointRotationInWorldFrame(int jointIndex, glm::quat& rotation) co
     return true;
 }
 
+bool Model::getJointRotation(int jointIndex, glm::quat& rotation) const {
+    if (jointIndex == -1 || jointIndex >= _jointStates.size()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    rotation = _jointStates[jointIndex].getRotation();
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool Model::getJointCombinedRotation(int jointIndex, glm::quat& rotation) const {
     if (jointIndex == -1 || jointIndex >= _jointStates.size()) {
         return false;
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
index 89c47e229d..b82db73624 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ public:
     /// \return true if joint exists
     bool getJointPosition(int jointIndex, glm::vec3& position) const;
 
+    /// \param jointIndex index of joint in model structure
+    /// \param rotation[out] rotation of joint in model-frame
+    /// \return true if joint exists
+    bool getJointRotation(int jointIndex, glm::quat& rotation) const;
+
     QStringList getJointNames() const;
     
     AnimationHandlePointer createAnimationHandle();