3DS Causes Eye Development Problems?

[Anemos]

(I checked, but I didn't find this anywhere. If this is just a reiteration of a previous thread, go ahead and remove it)

I was watching the news today when I saw something rather intriguing. The ticker tape on the bottom of the screen started saying something about Nintendo, so I dropped everything to find out what was going on.

The new 3DS, which comes out in March, could be hazardous to eye development. Apparently, the 3DS will come with the ability for parents to remove control of the 3D capabilities, as long exposure to the 3D feature may harm eye development in children ages six and under.

This bothers me, as there have been movies that I've generally considered for that age group that have been in 3D before. That's around 2 hours of exposure per viewing. So, do 3D glasses protect your eyes against the 3D effect they create, or do six-year-olds play WAY too much video games? Or, there is also the possibility that the producers of movies simply don't care.

Well, just thought I'd pass on the message. Happy New Years Eve, everyone!

 

[Jedizora]

Well, remeber. this could just be a precaution. There is a huge chance you shall not be effected by it. You can change the amount of effects on it by using the slider. It will probley only make you only a bit annyoed on the highest setting. At the movies, I believe that they have something in the lens to protect your eyes.

 

[Hazel]

@Jedizora
I don't believe it's about him. He said to 6-year-old kids, and how he was concerned about them.


Now, as 3D films are becoming a great money-making business, I am sure that even if it is harmful we would not find out. Just look at cigarettes! Their harmful effect was hidden for ages before it was released to the public. I believe it MIGHT be the case here.

 

[Ghosi]

I do believe that staring at 3D images is pretty harmful. Even staring at the screen of the DS for too long is harmful. It tires your eyes out, so you shouldn't continously "stare" at the screen. I do believe that the 3D effects will be even more harmful; it might cause more hallucinations for your eye and blurred vision. By hallucinations, I mean the light and images that come to your head, and also when your eyes react to objects differently. I guess that is why Nintendo made a "turn off button" for the 3D effect.

 

[Mikau94]

I highly doubt that Nintendo would make the whole Virtual Boy error again. They lost too much money on it and if they did it again it would be just plain stupid. Nintendo is not one to repeat errors. If anything it seems that it would only give you a headache. But if this really is true I would make that a very high priority. Just like Ghosi, said, turn the 3D effects off.

 

[knowlee]

I've heard about this myself although when I read about it, it said something that it could be harmful to kids ages 7 and under. Either way you look at it younger kids are more than likely going to be effected by these effects than any other.

Anyway, I think that the reason why that this is coming up now with the 3DS' arrival is because more than likely kids are going to be playing this game system more than they will be watching 3d movies. Basically the one time that kids will be watching 3d movies will be when they're in the theatre for however long the movie is and if their parents purchase the 3d version of the movie for them to watch at home (which is very rare for those kinds of movies to appear on the market, or at least from what I've seen they are). Now with a 3DS kids will be able to interact and watch 3d stuff at any given moment which increases their chances for this kind of damage to happen to their eyes. With 3D movies, not enough exposure is given to them since they can't go and immerse themselves in whenever they want to but only if they're parents/guardians take them to see a 3d movie.

 

[TheGreen]

That's interesting. Does the OP have a source or reference?

If the 3D effect was harmful for the viewer then I would think that the media would tell me about it. I've never heard anything on the news about it.

I'm skeptical that it actually is harmful, just perhaps a bigger strain than regular screens.

Which is a worry for me. I can stare at a SP or DS for hours (golden sun how you captivate me), but will I be able to do the same with the 3DS? I dunno.

 

[Baysiderulez]

I havent heard about this... but I do know quite a bit about how 3-D glasses work as we played with them in physics class...

3-D glasses have two types of lenses... the olden days are Red/Blue, the newer ones look similar but they are polarized Horizontal and vertical...3-d

Now in Traditional 3-d (meaning not the 3DS but those ones you see in teh movies) The movie has been recorded and is now being played back on two lenses... Very much like how your eyes work... We naturally see in 3-D looking down the street, in a classroom at another person... But because recording cameras have only one lense they record in mono vision. To get an idea of what that looks like... Stare at an object in the room first with both eyes... Then cover one eye, then uncover that eye and cover the other... you will notice the perspective changes slightly when viewing with only one eye. By using 3-D technology you are reproducing that effect.

Now as for the 3DS, my best guess is that the eye development is from their type of 3-D technology, perhaps there is something to having two screens overlayed ontop of each other that makes it bad for the eyes. At the same time, I could also see this as the media just trying to raise alarm, after all that is how they get their attention. Interesting find regardless, Tomorrow I'll google it and see what I can find... I mean the DS helped fix a little boy's eye site, I dont see why nintendo would intentionally make a product that would harm it, or know it and willingly continue to produce it.

 

[Michael Heide]

I don't think that children below 7 should be playing video games at all. I think that they need to develop a certain maturity (and social skills) first. Rule of thumb: When a kid can't read the instruction manual that comes with a video game, then it shouldn't play that game. So if the 3DS really isn't suitable for kids six and under, then I don't see that as such a catastrophe.

 

[nicktheslayer]

Maybe its the TYPE of 3D.

Those movies you were talking about probably used 3d glasses. The 3DS doesnt, so maybe there is a different effect on your eyes?

I cant believe this was on local news when i saw it.

 

[Baysiderulez]

Here's the article at CNN.com. I found it rather interesting.

So apparently all types of 3D are not that great for you. And prolonged exposure to 3D in generally is bad news. Makes sense... I have an eye condition personally that in the older days of 3D I couldnt use the glasses and see what everyone else saw. I could only see through one of the two lenses as both my eyes do not work together. A few months back I went and saw "How to Train Your Dragon" and my eyes started hurting about an hour into the movie... I took off the glasses, and although it made the image a tad unclear my eyes started to feel better.

 

[TFWTH]

This was also on BBC News 24 over here in the UK last night. Whilst it was kind of amusing to hear the serious talk over the footage of Reggie getting burnt by Bowser, it did seem a little like scare-mongering. Although with it being the BBC they weren't bias or anything, it was more of a "3D might be bad, but we aren't sure yet". Although I'd love to see the British tabloid take on it all though. "NEW NINTENDO CAUSES EYES TO EXPLODE" most likely. And yes the they probably wouldn't say "DS" because to the average tabloid reader anything from Nintendo is a "Nintendo", even though in reality the grey box that came out over 25 years ago is the only "Nintendo".

Sorry for the rant, I just don't like the British tabloids.

Of course, considering there is a slider to reduce the 3D effect, and the whole parental lock thing that allows parents to stop their kids from seeing the 3D, it's pretty much worrying about nothing.

Quite frankly if a parent doesn't read the manual and just hands over the console, no questions asked, it's pretty much solely their fault not for taking precautions. Heck, even the DS opens with the whole "WARNING" sign, I bet the 3DS has a similar thing for the 3D effects. It probably has one on the box just to make sure.

So yeah, if it turns out the news is going "OMG NINTENDO IS BLINDING KIDS!!!" come Spring, I'll be royally annoyed.
And then point to the Virtual Boy and say "They've already done that."