Eclipse cursor for virtual content in mixed reality displays

A wearable display system comprising:

• a head mounted display configured to project virtual content toward an eye of a user;
• a hand-held user input device that is manipulable by the user and configured to control movement of a virtual cursor in a virtual environment that is displayed to the user via the head mounted display;
• and
• a hardware processor in communication with the head mounted display and the hand-held user input device, the hardware processor programmed to:
• direct the head mounted display to render a plurality of virtual icons at a first depth in the virtual environment;
• identify a cursor location within the virtual environment, wherein the cursor location changes within the virtual environment in response to the user manipulating the hand-held user input device independent of movement of the head mounted display;
• while the cursor location does not overlap with any of the plurality of virtual icons rendered at the first depth in the virtual environment, direct the head mounted display to render the virtual cursor at the cursor location and at a second depth in the virtual environment such that the virtual cursor is visible to the user at the second depth in the virtual environment;
• and
• while the cursor location is positioned behind a particular virtual icon of the plurality of virtual icons, direct the head mounted display to render the particular virtual icon without rendering the virtual cursor to thereby inhibit the virtual cursor from obscuring any portion of the particular virtual icon, wherein the particular virtual icon is rendered at a third depth in the virtual environment that is closer to the user than the first depth or the second depth, such that the particular virtual icon appears enlarged from the other virtual icons and without any obstruction by the virtual cursor that is controllable by the hand-held user input device.