Amid all the warnings and concerns about 3D circulating in the medical community, parents may find a recent press release especially chilling. It appeared just prior to Friday's opening of How to Train Your Dragon, but its value resonates far beyond any single film or event. In a nutshell, moms and dads: Is your child physically equipped to join the 3D revolution?
It's a serious question, according to the College of Optometrists in Vision Development -- so serious, in fact, that doctors urge parents to make sure youngsters can actually see in 3D before paying $15 for the little brat to get in when 2D costs a fraction of the price exposing our most precious resources to the format's harmful effects. For example: Lazy eye? Probably can't see 3D. "Eye turn"? Probably can't see 3D. And beyond those obvious symptoms, there are the more subtle giveaways:
The top three signs that your child may not be able to see 3D are:
1. Clumsy: Spills milk when pouring, trips while walking, bumps into things
2. Scared of escalators, going down stairs, climbing play structures or avoids them all together [sic]
3. Has difficulty hitting or catching a ball
Moreover, you may even be able to diagnose a depth-perception disability by virtue of your kid being generally non-responsive to the radical animation:
During the movie keep an eye out for any signs of a headache, nausea or dizziness during or shortly afterwards. In addition, watch to see how your child responds to the special effects to see if he responds the same way as the other kids do; for example, as the hero of the story, Hiccup, flies through the air with his dragon, Toothless. If not, it's possible that he isn't seeing the special effects. These are signs that your child may have a vision problem and you should schedule an eye exam to have it fully checked.
Bingo. And just like that, Jeffrey Katzenberg has science to explain away another underwhelming opener. I can hardly wait to hear the Shrek Forever After color-blindness defense.
ยท Is Your Child Ready for 'How to Train Your Dragon' 3D Movie? [PRNewswire]