The 3D Industry Is Going Strong Despite The Headaches It Causes
If watching 3-D movies gives you a headache you’re not alone. You might want to buy stock in Tylenol. According to CBS news, in spite of major studies that say 3-D causes splitting headaches, nausea and dizziness in literally millions of people – the entertainment industry is going full steam ahead to create 3-D content. Optometrists say one out of every four viewers will have a problem with 3-D. It causes massive eyestrain, leading to headaches and an upset stomach. Viewers who have a problem with depth perception in real life are guaranteed to have an issue with 3-D.
Researchers are developing new technology with more life-like 3-D displays, which should solve the problem, but those innovations are years - possibly decades - from hitting the market. The average-Joe consumer isn’t exactly clamoring for 3-D either. 3-D capable TV’s went on sale for the first time last year but sales were far below what analysts expected. One possible reason is that the companies that made the TVs warned that they cause motion sickness and “decreased postural stability,” also known as “falling over.” Unfortunately, no one told Hollywood.
They’re calling 3-D the greatest innovation since color. TV manufactures and theater owners like AMC are spending more than a billion dollars to upgrade their equipment. Satellite and cable providers are also spending big bucks on 3-D. For example, ESPN just announced a completely 3-D network that’ll broadcast sports 24 hours a day. If you’re one of the many who have a problem with 3-D, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to avoid it in the coming years. So, here’s what you can do to minimize the problem as much as possible:
- Sit as far away from the screen as you can. The closer you are to the screen, the harder your eyes have to work to focus.
- Cover one eye with a patch or a post-it note over your glasses. You’ll look like a pirate, but at least you won’t leave the theater with a splitting headache.
