12% of UK 'can't see 3D'


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Monday 12-Jul-2010 12:21 PM

Eye expert dampens prospect of 3D gaming revolution

Between 10 and 12 per cent of the UK population will miss out on the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS 3D revolution due to visual impairment, according UK charity The Eyecare Trust.

According to the Trust, over six million British consumers have poor binocular vision, which means they either cannot see or have difficulty seeing the effects of the 3DS or PlayStation 3's stereoscopic 3D.

"It's more than you think," said Dharmesh Patel, chairman of The Eyecare Trust. "About 12 per cent have 3D vision problems and you'll find a similar percentage worldwide.

"I don't think there are any long-term negative impacts. But it can create really bad headaches and aches behind the eyes," he told trade mag MCV. "For these six million people it's like taking the 3D glasses off, making everything all blurry. You can't see the image and that causes headaches, eye-strain and blurred vision."

3D technology relies on our eyes' ability to work together to achieve a perception of depth, Patel explains.

Research shows that more than one in ten of us have a visual impairment, where our brains cannot process individual images from our left and right eyes. According to the expert, potentially millions of people don't even know they have a visual problem.

"3D is appearing everywhere and there's loads of people complaining that they can't see it," he said. "There will be people who have not attended an eye examination in years and are probably unaware they have a lazy eye or something like that.

"Some people won't even know why they can't see it. Sometimes something can be done, but it depends on the individual case."

Nintendo's already made clear that because of developing eyesight, the Nintendo 3DS is not suitable for children.

A potentially difficult problem for the platform holders' plans then. Does anyone out there have problems seeing 3D images at the cinema or on PS3?

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=255376

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"There will be people who have not attended an eye examination in years and are probably unaware they have a lazy eye or something like that.

That's my problem, the lazy eye is pretty much impossible to spot but I can't see 3d :(

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That's my problem, the lazy eye is pretty much impossible to spot but I can't see 3d :(

Same here, I blame all the time I spend on Neowin myself :p

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Same here, I blame all the time I spend on Neowin myself :p

You just gave me an idea....maybe I can setup some kind of class action lawsuit against Neowin :shiftyninja:

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"Nintendo's already made clear that because of developing eyesight, the Nintendo 3DS is not suitable for children." :rolleyes:

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Same here, I blame all the time I spend on Neowin myself :p

hmmm.. maybe Neowin in 3D? :laugh:

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so the impairment is only for 3D stuff like movies, tv, games? this has nothing to do w/ depth perception in normal life, right?

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"Nintendo's already made clear that because of developing eyesight, the Nintendo 3DS is not suitable for children." :rolleyes:

Future headline?

Nintento Releases 3D Pornographic Games for Adults, as children can't use console

The game called Nintenboobies will feature pornagraph..........

:rofl:

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I have never been able to see 3D stuff either however, on top of having a focus issue with my eyes I am also Colour Blind to blue and green.

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so the impairment is only for 3D stuff like movies, tv, games? this has nothing to do w/ depth perception in normal life, right?

depth perception can easily be estimated when using only one eye

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I didn't know that many people had that problem, or that it even was really a problem. Makes a lot of sense though, especially if the eyes are at different strengths.

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Yep, one of my housemates wears glasses, and because of the difference in his eyes he can't see any 3D stuff (movies or otherwise)

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Yeah I can never really see 3D properly. Probably something to do with my stigmatism shifting what makes something appear 3D to the wrong place in my eye, or something.

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