Study: 3D Can Cause Visual Discomfort, Not Eye Damage

(Inside Science) -- The eye-popping visuals of 3-D imagery have taken the world by storm. From 3-D movies to 3-D gaming, and even 3-D television sets, this in-your-face entertainment looks like it’s here to stay. But questions remain on how safe 3-D images are to the eyes the view them.

Researchers at the Vision Performance Institute at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. are focused intently on how 3-D images affect sight.

“When viewing 3-D displays, compared with 2-D displays, the eyes do engage in more crossing activity or what we call convergence or vergence eye movements, and they also engage in more accommodative changes, focus changes,” said Jim Sheedy, a professor at the Vision Performance Institute.

By attaching electrodes on the bottom eyelid, researchers use a method called electromyography to measure how much viewers squint while watching 3-D images. Squinting decreases the number of times we blink, which reduces moisture in the eyes, creating eye strain. But surprisingly, watching 3-D movies and video games does not seem to cause damage.

“In the research that we’ve done we’ve seen no evidence of damage to the visual system…to either adults or children,” said Sheedy.

As 3-D technology develops, viewing and gaming devices may allow viewers to make adjustments to match specific visual needs.

Ted Chandler is a freelance field producer. A winner of multiple National Telly Awards, he has over 16 years in the video production industry, including with Florida-based Skystorm Productions, and has created hundreds of television programs and news segments.