February 25, 2011, 12:11 PM — Next month Nintendo's 3DS finally rolls off assembly lines and into the hands of gamers around the world. The advent of "go-anywhere, glasses-free 3D" is nearly here. But with it come questions about 3D's safety, especially for children under the age of seven, whose eyes may still be developing and susceptible to techniques that alter the way our eyes capture two discrete images for the brain to render as one in 3D.
Last month the American Optometric Association issued a statement suggesting kids six and under can play Nintendo's 3DS as long as their visual system is developing normally. But 3D TV manufacturer Samsung has cautioned that "children and teenagers may be more susceptible to health issues associated with viewing in 3D and should be closely supervised when viewing these images." And Nintendo America's president has warned that "very young children not look at 3D images...because...the muscles for the eyes are not fully formed."
What to make of the red flags?
To get answers, we spoke with VSP optometrist Dr. Nathan Bonilla-Warford, chair of the Children's Vision Committee of the Florida Optometric Association as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
Game On: What should we make of recent claims by Nintendo and some 3DTV manufacturers that young children shouldn't look at 3D images?
Dr. Nathan Bonilla-Warford: 3D technology can be visually stressful. And there is more concern about children using 3D technology than adults, because children have not fully developed their visual skills. 3D video games can cause the eyes to work much harder than usual, making it more difficult for the eyes function. Children generally are less aware of their eyes so they are less likely to know if they are having visual problems. This is especially true with something very engaging like 3D games. Even if they do know, children may be reluctant to discuss 3D symptoms with parents because they fear the 3D may be limited or taken away.
GO: Does the 1960s research that concluded our eyes are still developing during a "critical period" through about age seven still apply today?
NBW: The research done in the 1960s was a very big step to understanding visual development, however in recent years there have been quite a few revisions concerning the concept of "critical periods" and their influence on visual development. Unfortunately I don't think this research really applies to the question of 3D technology. We don't really know exactly how these technologies would affect children and their visual development, but it is safer to say that the more intensely they are used, the more likely there will be an impact.
GO: The 3DS employs autostereoscopic technology, but it's just one of several ways of achieving stereoscopic 3D. Are some 3D techniques better or "safer" than others?
NBW: All of the different 3D techniques are essentially achieving the same goals through different means. Every 3D technology at its core is presenting each eye with different images. In the case of artificial 3D, the way the eyes coordinate, align and focus in everyday life are different compared the real world.
The Nintendo 3DS system is different than 3D TVs and 3D films. The closer you hold or view the 3D system, the more strain it will put on the convergence and focusing system of the eyes. This applies to both 2D and 3D images. Therefore the strain of watching a 3D TV, which is ideally 10 feet away, or 3D films, which are much further away, is less intense for the eye systems. It is in this way the Nintendo 3DS is inherently less safe and more likely to cause 3D symptoms like fatigue, nausea, headaches, dizziness and eyestrain.
Furthermore, the ways in which 3D is generated can be designed to be more natural or tolerable than others. In the case of Avatar, the filmmakers specifically tried to make the 3D effects more natural and lifelike for viewers. It remains to be seen whether or not the video effects from 3DS and other upcoming devices will have the capability in the small screen to take advantage of the natural 3D effects.
The one thing about the 3DS that particularly interests me is the 3D volume, which allows the viewer to turn down or turn off the 3D feature. This aspect of the 3DS does make it a little bit safer because if symptoms begin to appear, you can simply turn off the 3D and play in a 2D format.
