Ophthalmologist: Three Dimensional Gaming Is Safe on the Eyes

A respected ophthalmologist has gone one record as saying that use of three dimensional gaming technologies like those currently in development at companies like Nintendo and Sony will not damage the eye sight of gamers but should be used with caution when it comes to young children.

3D is one of the hottest trends of the video game industry at the moment, with companies hoping that new technology will allow players to be more involved with their experiences.

Nintendo is working on the 3DS handheld, which will deliver three dimensional gaming without the use of any specialized glasses, to launch before the end of 2010 in Japan and in the spring of next year in Europe and in North America.

Sony has indicated that it will make the PlayStation 3 home console fully 3D capable by the end of the year through a simple firmware update.

Talking to Gamasutra, Doctor Mark Borchert, an ophthalmologist that is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, stated, “There are people who get uncomfortable with it, and get eye strain or headaches, or on much rarer occasions, a sense of imbalance or nausea, but there's no evidence it can cause permanent harm to your vision or use of both eyes together or anything like that.”

It's not clear how many developers will create games that use three dimensional gaming but if the launch of the 3DS is successful then more and more teams will be attracted to the technology.

One point of caution is linked to how 3D might affect young gamers, with Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, warning that the technology should not be used by children who are under seven years of age.

Doctor Borchert says that while children do have some issues when it comes to using both their eyes but also that the age where 3D is safe is probably closer to three years old than seven.