Does Nintendo 3DS cause eye damage?

The appearance of the Nintendo 3DS game console 'anytime, anywhere, without 3D glasses' has brought many interesting experiences. But there are also many questions about the safety of this 3D device for users' eyes.

The biggest effect is for children under 7 years of age, eyes that are still developing and vulnerable due to the technique of changing the way the eyes collect 2 separate images so that the brain turns into a 3D image.

The American Optometric Association issued a statement saying that children aged 6 or younger can play Nintendo 3DS if their vision is developing normally. But Samsung's 3D TV maker recommends that 'children and teenagers be more affected by health problems related to viewing 3D images and should be closely monitored when watching. images of this type ' . And Nintendo also warned that ' children are very small, should not see 3D images, because eye muscles are not fully developed '.

So what is the meaning of the above warnings?

To find out the meaning of these warnings, the PCWorld Game On column has discussed with the vision expert of VSPblog.com , Dr. Nathan Bonilla-Warford, Chairman of the Association's Children's Vision Committee. Florida vision, and also a member of the American Academy of Vision.

Game On (GO): Doctor, how should we understand Nintendo's recent warnings and some 3D TV manufacturers that children should not watch 3D images?

Dr. Nathan Bonilla-Warford (NBW): 3D technology can cause visual stress. And people pay more attention to children watching 3D than adults, because children have not fully developed their visual skills. 3D video games can force the eyes to work harder than usual, making it difficult for the eyes to perform its functions. Children are often less aware of their eyes so they may not know if they have visual problems. This is even more true for 3D games. Even if they know, they may not inform their parents of symptoms because of fear of being restricted or banned from playing 3D games.

GO: The conclusion of the study in the 1960s is that the eye is still developing in a 'critical period' during the first 7 years of the child's life right now?

NBW: The research done in the 1960s is an important step to help us understand the development of sight, but in recent years, there have been quite a number of conceptual revisions ' period. critical 'and their influence on visual development. The thing is, I don't think that the results of this study can really be applied to 3D technology. We do not know exactly how these technologies will affect children and their visual development process, but it is safe to say that the more these technologies are used, the more likely they are to be affected. great.

GO: The 3DS device uses autostereoscopic technology to create a 3D effect without using glass, but that's just one of many ways to achieve the floating 3D effect. Is there any other better or 'safe' 3D technique?

NBW: All different 3D techniques are mainly to achieve the same purpose by different means. Every core 3D technology is presented to each eye another image. In the case of artificial 3D, the way the eyes coordinate, adjust and focus in life is often different from the real world.

Nintendo 3DS devices are different from 3D TVs and 3D movies. The closer you see or see this device, the more stressful it is for the focusing and focusing system. This is true for both 2D and 3D images. Therefore, watching 3D TV is ideal at a distance of 3m, or watching 3D movies much longer, often less stressful to the eyes. In this respect, Nintendo 3DS devices are less secure and are capable of causing 3D symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, headache, dizziness and eye strain.

In addition, the way 3D images are created can be designed to be more natural and less annoying. In the case of Avatar, special filmmakers try to make the 3D effect more natural and more realistic to see. The other problem is the video effect from 3DS devices and other upcoming devices that can exploit the natural 3D effect on small screens.

What makes me particularly excited about the 3DS device is the 3D level correction feature, which allows viewers to reduce or disable 3D features completely. This feature of 3DS makes this device safer because if you see symptoms appear, you can completely turn off 3D features and play in 2D.

GO: What about adults? Is there a problem with the eyes of adults when interacting with 3D technology, according to ophthalmic view?

NBW: The adult vision system is much more stable than the visual system of children. While 3DS is still growing and perfect, there is nothing to worry about whether adults are harmed. Our concern is how well the adult's visual system responds to stress levels. Most people have a fairly flexible visual system that can withstand a relative level of 3D technology, allowing them to enjoy 3D movies, games or programs in a short period of time. However, not everyone can stand it. Many people may have latent vision problems, making them unable to view 3D images or causing symptoms that, if stopped watching, also decrease.

You can also apply the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes you take off your glasses and look at an object 20 feet away (6m) for 20 seconds. Keep your eyes off work for a short time. If people experience these symptoms, they should go to a full eye examination to see if there are any potential problems causing stress when focusing and visual coordination to see 3D images.

GO: If the inability to view 3D images can help detect vision problems early, do we have a medical infrastructure to support the sudden increase in symptomatic cases when but devices like 3DS are increasingly popular and mobile?

NBW: I think we have that infrastructure. Many of the above symptoms, if detected early in the child, can be treated more easily and quickly than later discovered, then the treatment will be more complicated or may not be possible. In many cases, if the child is diagnosed with visual disturbances at age 6, it is easier to treat than at the age of 12, more intervention is needed.

In terms of numbers, there are enough child vision specialists to adequately address issues that have not been properly treated. In addition, the vision graduates have received basic training to treat these vision problems. Therefore, if the demand for this service increases due to increased diagnosis, vision specialists will be able to meet this demand.

GO: Thank you, Dr. Bonilla-Warford.