Are 3D Glasses Bad For Your Health?
A funny thing happened on the way to the Vatican IMAX theater: Italy's ministry of health confiscated 7000 pairs of 3D glasses from cinemas. And they pledge to snatch away more, claiming the glasses could easily pass around "hygiene risks" if not disinfected between screenings, and that they lacked tags proving they don't cause vision problems.
That this sweeping health initiative should come so soon after the announcement of a 3D remake of Caligula by veteran Italian softcore auteur Tinto Brass is indeed suspicious -- it's perhaps the type of action taken by a nervous government after a presentation from public health officials on mass forehead-herpes outbreaks. But according to a new study from the University of California Berkeley, the Italians might well be onto something when it comes to those vision issues. And that's something Hollywood would love to sweep under the carpet.
The study found what many 3D viewers already knew: the effect causes headaches and blurred vision. That's because it forces viewers to focus on things in the foreground (which causes eyes to converge) and distance (which causes them to separate) simultaneously. The effect is called "vergence accommodation conflict," and its unwanted side effects tend to be strongest in younger people.
An irate email to the Berkeley Board of Trustees from aspiring 3D-theater-monopolist and technological cheerleader Jeffrey Katzenberg is almost certainly forthcoming ("We've performed studies on hundreds of toddlers outfitted in tiny 3D glasses, and even after 70 straight hours of Monsters vs. Aliens, the findings have been utterly inconclusive!"). As for the hygiene issue, Movieline's Special Medical Correspondent said the transmission of infection via unsanitized 3D glasses is "unlikely but possible." So if you have some antibacterial wipes handy, it couldn't hurt.
· Research Shows 3-D Movies, TV Can Cause Eye Strain, Headaches [voanews]
· Italy considers "Avatar" 3D glasses a hygiene risk [THR]
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Comments
Back in the day, the Captain EO glasses were given out with the warning not to wear them more that 20 minutes (EO is 17 minutes long).
So, Avatar at 3 hours tops this limit by a heavy margin.
I saw Avatar 3D the other night and took my glasses home since I paid an extra buck on top of the ticket price for them.
It's not made clear you can do this, although they really encourage audiences (by way of screen advertising) to recycle them in the bin provided on the way out. Yes, "Recycle, so we can hit you again for 3D glasses the next time you visit."
Other than reports some people experience migraine-like symptoms or headaches after watching 3D movies, it appears mostly harmless.
does italy have a pinkeye epidemic or something?
for fucks sake they are worshipping waste. used doesn't mean useless and trash. Every heard of antibacterial soap, h202, alcohol? Mix one up with water in a spray bottle and train a working class person like a monkey to do task and repeat whilst manager jerks off to round doodlings on ticket stubs or something.
problem solved. me thinks italy needs to watch what america does and just do the opposite.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binocular_dysphoria
The real problem with 3D. Moderation, as is usually the case, is key.
Well, here in Australia the glasses are sealed up individually.
I've only seen 2 3D movies so far (Ice age 3 and Alice in Wonderland).
I havent had any problems yet.
they gave out mywipe 3d glasses wipes when I went to see avatar. much happier that i knew the glasses were getting cleaned by me with an antibacterial wipe!!! might be worth bringing your own http://www.mywipe.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=5. Been thinking that I might buy some 3D glasses will definitely get the wipes too http://www.mywipe.co.uk
You know what though. I'm sure they don't wipe down those arm rests of the theater seat either. So if they are all upset about glasses, what about the chairs. Maybe the workers can go through the theater with a power washer in between show times. I just hope those seats aren't fabric, then that would be a soggy mess. They should have just gone with the disposable glasses instead of the reusable ones so people would get a new pair sealed in plastic each time if they weren't going to put them in sanitizing water each time like most countries have to do. One of our local theaters that use the reusable glasses always washes them because they always have a few water spots on them. Our other theater just uses the disposable glasses.
Im not sure if it has been addressed, however when using Firefox I can never get the entire page to load without refreshing alot of times. Could just be my modem.
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That is a excellent point to bring up.
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Woah, never knew their was so much to this, I definitely think that well being and some good proper nutriton diets are definitely important to live a healthy life. Thanks for sharing
Woah, never knew their was so much to this, I definitely think that health and a good diet are for sure key for so many things in life. Thanks for the post
Not sure I agree 100% with the above comment but I guess we are all entiteled to our opinions.
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It seems that the Nintendo 3DS won't be out before the Christmas season. That's bad timing for retailers such as myself, but oh well, at least it's coming soon.
Wait, that's just what it is really information on? WE didn't understand we would essentially should want to do just about any job. I am from this particular thing
our two kids have head ackes and disey..he fell down.3 1/2 she is 7 years.
wow were were the waring..for little kids.
i have seen 2 , 3d movies Avatar and now pirates. both time's after watching the movies my eye's felt like some one had thrown sand in them or kinda like the symptoms of flash burn. very scratchy and irritated. Has any one else had this happen or herd of it?
well idk if those glasses are bad for health... but i watcehd some 3D movies, and some times i feel my eyes tired,
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