Is 3D technology safe for children? - Last week Nintendo warned that children under the age of six may damage their eyes when playing with the company’s new 3D games console. But is there any real cause for concern?
The warning was in spite of the fact that the new device offers the 3D experience without needing the special glasses, just as Toshiba’s latest TV set does, which is set to be unveiled later this week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The Nintendo 3DS, which is due to be released next year, will give users the option of playing in 3D as opposed to the conventional 2D picture.
Last year Samsung warned elderly people, children and pregnant women to exercise caution when watching 3D TV.
But in a statement on Nintendo’s website, the company cautioned that children under the age of six who use the new 3D functionality could suffer from stunted eye development as a result.
The warning echoes similar caution from Samsung earlier last year, which highlighted the potential dangers 3D technology posed to pregnant women, the elderly, children and people with serious medical conditions, just ahead of its 3D TV sets going on sale in the UK.
In April 2010 the Korean manufacturer said that the devices, which unlike the new Toshiba sets and the Nintendo 3DS require special glasses, could trigger epileptic fits or cause ailments ranging from altered vision and dizziness to nausea, cramps, convulsions and involuntary movements such as eye or muscle twitching.
Those who have been deprived of sleep or who have been drinking alcohol were also advised to avoid watching 3D television by Samsung.
However, eye experts question the validity of these warnings, and believe that these electronics companies are erring on the side of caution to avoid any potential lawsuits, just in case there are any unexpected side effects of 3D technology.
Gail Stephenson, head of the Directorate of Orthoptics and Vision Science at Liverpool University, told The Telegraph: “There is no decent scientific evidence or research at the moment to show that 3D technology cause any harm to children’s or adults eyes…I think at the moment it is more a case of these technology companies covering their backs in the current world of regular litigation.”
She added: “As with any type of activity done for a long period of time, such as sitting on the sofa while watching TV for hours on end, people may suffer some symptoms afterwards – such as headaches, blurred vision and disorientation. So I think the message to people using 3D technology is not to enjoy it without regular breaks. Whenever we put any of our bodily systems under stress, they react unusually but there is nothing to say there is anything specifically harmful about 3D technology to the eyes of children or adults.”
Indeed, Nintendo advised all 3DS users take breaks from playing 3D games as frequently as every 30 minutes to give their eyes a chance to rest.
However, Stephenson, warned that the current lack of research supporting fears about 3D’s effects did not rule out any such facts being found out in new studies in the future. ( telegraph.co.uk )
The warning was in spite of the fact that the new device offers the 3D experience without needing the special glasses, just as Toshiba’s latest TV set does, which is set to be unveiled later this week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The Nintendo 3DS, which is due to be released next year, will give users the option of playing in 3D as opposed to the conventional 2D picture.
Last year Samsung warned elderly people, children and pregnant women to exercise caution when watching 3D TV.
The warning echoes similar caution from Samsung earlier last year, which highlighted the potential dangers 3D technology posed to pregnant women, the elderly, children and people with serious medical conditions, just ahead of its 3D TV sets going on sale in the UK.
In April 2010 the Korean manufacturer said that the devices, which unlike the new Toshiba sets and the Nintendo 3DS require special glasses, could trigger epileptic fits or cause ailments ranging from altered vision and dizziness to nausea, cramps, convulsions and involuntary movements such as eye or muscle twitching.
Those who have been deprived of sleep or who have been drinking alcohol were also advised to avoid watching 3D television by Samsung.
However, eye experts question the validity of these warnings, and believe that these electronics companies are erring on the side of caution to avoid any potential lawsuits, just in case there are any unexpected side effects of 3D technology.
Gail Stephenson, head of the Directorate of Orthoptics and Vision Science at Liverpool University, told The Telegraph: “There is no decent scientific evidence or research at the moment to show that 3D technology cause any harm to children’s or adults eyes…I think at the moment it is more a case of these technology companies covering their backs in the current world of regular litigation.”
She added: “As with any type of activity done for a long period of time, such as sitting on the sofa while watching TV for hours on end, people may suffer some symptoms afterwards – such as headaches, blurred vision and disorientation. So I think the message to people using 3D technology is not to enjoy it without regular breaks. Whenever we put any of our bodily systems under stress, they react unusually but there is nothing to say there is anything specifically harmful about 3D technology to the eyes of children or adults.”
Indeed, Nintendo advised all 3DS users take breaks from playing 3D games as frequently as every 30 minutes to give their eyes a chance to rest.
However, Stephenson, warned that the current lack of research supporting fears about 3D’s effects did not rule out any such facts being found out in new studies in the future. ( telegraph.co.uk )
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