It’s a Friday afternoon and the kids cook up a smart plan to go to the movies with you, and they want to see that brand new 3D movie that everybody in their school is raving about. It’s at this point that you must break their little hearts because you can’t watch a 3D movie with them, why? Because you wear glasses and you were told by your elders before you, those red and blue (or even the modern black type) glasses will make your eyesight even worse than it is.
Is all this true? Let’s put some myths to rest and bring back the joy of 3D movies, whether you wear contact lenses or glasses or no eyewear at all.
How Does 3D Work?
It starts with your eyes- each eye provides a specific view of the world we see every day. If you cover one eye and hold out an object in front of you, you may find the object is “jumping” around. This is because there is now an offset in the image your eye is seeing and the image your brain is creating. Your brain is basically trying to measure out the distance of that image in front of you by something called “triangulation”.
This is where scientists have decided to use the power of the mind and its ability to measure distances between your visual cortex and the images they see, creating the world of 3D. It’s more of a mental manipulation than a visual transformation.
What Do the Terribly Fashioned Blue and Red Glasses Do?
If you look at a 3D image with your naked eyes (no glasses) you’ll notice the picture has 2 layers, one is red and one that is blue, but it is never perfectly aligned with the red part, it’s always off centred. This is on purpose. Now when you put the glasses on there’s no distinction between red and blue, everything looks clean, blur-free. What’s happening is all inside your brain- it has merged the 2 images to create the perception of depth and that’s where the magic of 3D comes in.
Some people have complained about feeling nauseous whilst watching a 3D movie or developing headaches and this is true for a badly made 3D movie. Filmmakers have to be sensitive about the human senses whilst creating this effect, for example, you could be watching a scene of a character floating in space where there’s zero gravity and with 3D you feel like you’re the one floating in space, so one part of your body is experiencing that, whilst in reality, you’re well-planted onto your favourite couch at home or in that premium cinema seat, so there’s the other half of your brain communicating something else, hence your discomfort.
The function of having 2 eyes is for both (even though they see images differently) to work in unison, creating 1 final image. When we watch something in 3D our eyes are being made to work on their own, and this conflict causes plenty of side effects on the human body, including the eyes.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses/ Glasses With My 3D Glasses?
In short, the answer is yes, however, if you try to fit a pair of 3D glasses on top of your normal spectacles, you’ll soon find out why some people get frustrated. They simply don’t fit and are not comfortable at all. There is an answer for this however, you can get yourself a pair of prescription 3D glasses. Yes, they can come in prescription versions. If you’re a contact lens wearer, make sure to get those tested by your optometrist and approved for wearing whilst those movie glasses are on at the same time.
Is There a Solution?
For you to thoroughly enjoy the effects and hard work that’s put into a 3D movie, you will need to have good binocular vision- both your eyes will need to work in perfect coordination with each other. The sad reality is if your coordination is slightly off then that’s when you’ll experience those side effects whilst the kids and some of your friends seem to be having a blast with no issues at all.
Did you know? Some people simply cannot watch 3D at all because they are “stereo blind”. Their brains cannot triangulate between their eyes, so 3D is not even on the bribery list on movie night.
In the end, it seems our mothers and grandmothers were right after all (in most cases at least), but don’t let them know now, you’ll get the old “I told you so” and might spoil movie night.
The easiest way to solve this is to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes, stretch yourself, take a few breaths of air in and whilst you’re doing this focus on an image that’s about 20 feet away (not an on-screen image!). This should lessen your chances of headaches, nausea, and red eyes.You can also try ourViteyes Digital Blue, which helps protect your eyes against damaging blue light from screens.
As I always say, where there’s a problem, there’s always a solution.
-Arishna
FAQs
There's no evidence that watching something in 3D damages a child's vision. In fact, watching 3D media is pretty much the same as watching something in real life. That's why the American Academy of Ophthalmology says watching something in 3D is unlikely to harm your child's eyes.
Can a 3D movie damage your eyes? ›
There's no evidence that viewing too much time wearing 3D glasses causes any long-term eye problems, but it may be uncomfortable in the short-term. The solution for most children and adults with vision issues is to view 3D content sparingly, take frequent breaks, and sit farther away from the screen.
Is watching 3D movies bad for you? ›
However, 3D technology is not believed to be dangerous for your eyes. The distance between your eyes can allow you to process different images with each eye, but in natural viewing, your eyes are accustomed to working together anyway.
What happens if you watch a 3D movie without the glasses? ›
Full rim passive polarized or active shutter glasses are the specialized eyewear required to enjoy a movie in 3D. If you take off your 3D glasses during the film, you'll see a pair of slightly overlapping images that are a little out of focus.
Why don't 3D movies work for me? ›
In summary, to view any 3D images you must have two eyes that work together in unison and as a coordinated team. Lack of healthy binocular vision may make you feel tired and nauseous, even inducing a headache after watching a 3D movie because your eyes may be struggling with coordination.
Why do I feel sick after watching a 3D movie? ›
Nausea and/or dizziness
This is caused by a “disagreement” between the vestibular system and the visual input, causing that the body interprets it is moving, creating a contradiction with the vestibular system.
Why do people get headaches from 3D movies? ›
A person whose eyes don't accommodate properly will experience blurry vision. The repeated need to refocus vision each time there is a change from distance to near vision, and back again, can cause headaches and eyestrain when attempting to watch 3D movies and shows.
What are the effects of 3D movies? ›
A movie is considered 3D when it creates the illusion of depth, making images appear to have height, width, and depth. This effect is achieved by using two separate images, one for the left eye and one for the right eye, which are then projected onto the screen simultaneously.
Are 3D glasses safe to use? ›
But even though wearing 3D glasses doesn't actually damage your vision, they can cause eyestrain and bring on sensations of motion sickness. This has to do with peripheral vision and how the brain perceives and puts together images.
What are the benefits of 3D movies? ›
Immersive Visual Experience: Perhaps the most obvious advantage of 3D films is the immersive visual experience they provide. The added depth and realism make the scenes come alive, creating a sense of being right there with the characters on their epic journey.
Wear 3D Glass over Eyeglass
The most common and easiest way is to simply wear the 3D glasses over your eyeglasses. This sure is uncomfortable and can be heavy on your ears but the quickest tip to follow. There may even be special 3D glasses available in some theaters that can be worn over regular glasses.
Does anyone still make 3D TVs? ›
The short answer to this is no, and though we'll be going through how you can watch 3D content in this article, we'll note up top that all of the major TV manufacturers have stopped making 3D-capable televisions.
Does real 3D need glasses? ›
RealD 3D and Imax Digital 3D both utilize passive 3D technology which makes use of relatively lightweight eyewear. These passive 3D glasses use polarizing filters to allow each eye to see a slightly different image.
Are there side effects to watching 3D movies? ›
Some viewers commonly experience headaches, nausea and dizziness while trying to 3D, but these symptoms are temporary. "When we are looking at the natural world, the eyes, the muscles in the eyes that allow us to focus, and the muscles that move the eye work in tandem," he said.
Is it safe to watch a 3D movie? ›
Eye experts confirm that there are no known long term side effects related to 3D viewing. However, even though long term side effects are not an issue, there are possible short term annoyances some moviegoers and gamers might experience during 3D viewing.
Why do people not make 3D movies anymore? ›
Additionally, the high cost of 3D movie tickets and the discomfort of wearing 3D glasses contributed to a decline in interest. Furthermore, some believe that 3D technology was more of a gimmick and did not significantly enhance the viewing experience.
Are 3D pictures bad for your eyes? ›
Watching 3D images has not been shown to cause permanent negative side effects. Sometimes, it can be a sign of another vision-related problem. Other times, it can be a result of temporary disorientation and sensory overload experienced by the brain.
Are 3D tvs bad for your eyes? ›
Although there are no long-term studies, ophthalmologists say there is no reason to be concerned that 3-D movies, TV or video games will damage the eyes or visual system.
Is it safe for kids to watch 3D? ›
As a safety precaution, children under six years of age should have limited exposure to 3D films, video games and televisions. The American Optometric Association says that moderation of children's exposure to 3D viewing is just as important as limiting their exposure to 2D and other technical devices.
