Public education on 3-dimensional media

Article Outline

• Some 3D talking points
• Opportunities in 3D

Three-dimensional (3D) media are being widely touted as the next “big thing” in communications and entertainment. Hollywood believes 3D could revive slumping box office receipts. By the time this article is published, Avatar, producer James Cameron's 3D science fantasy adventure film, set in the fictional world of Pandora in 2154, will have become the highest grossing motion picture ever released. Dozens of other 3D feature films are reportedly under development. Television broadcasters believe 3D could revolutionize their industry. ESPN plans to introduce a 3D television channel in time for the World Cup soccer tournament in June. Discovery Communications is developing a 3D channel in partnership with Sony and IMAX. Industry representatives at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show predicted 3D units could account for up to 25% of all the television sets sold in the United States as early as 2013. A wide range of 3D Internet services and 3D computer applications are also reportedly on the way.

However, even if 3D does not radically reshape cinema and home video in the way that its most ardent proponents predict, use of the technology is certainly going to increase over the coming years. And that will almost certainly bring an increase in complaints from people with binocular vision problems who have trouble viewing 3D images. Moreover, the general viewing public is likely to become more aware of the importance of good binocular vision.

Over recent months, a number of major newspapers around the country have reported that some Avatar viewers have been suffering from headaches, dizziness, or nausea. The “3D headache” has already become an accepted concept among film buffs. Receiving less attention, however, is the fact that some movie-goers may not even be able to experience the 3D effects at all. And neither reporters nor film aficionados generally appear aware that difficulty in viewing 3D media can be the result of vision problems or that many of these vision problems can be remediated. As a result of this information gap, optometrists will probably be fielding a growing number of questions from patients in the examination room regarding problems with viewing 3D media. In addition, optometrists may be increasingly called on to provide some public education on 3D viewing in their communities. This of course means explaining in layman's terms some concepts which, although rudimentary to any eye care practitioner, may seem fairly complex to average movie-goers.

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Some 3D talking points 

Explaining eye and vision problems in the vernacular is the very essence of day-to-day patient counseling. Just about every practitioner has some effective ways of making eye care concepts understandable to patients in the chair or community groups at lectures. However, the emergence of 3D media will mean more opportunities to explain binocular vision problems to audiences who may be much more interested in how computer graphic effects were generated or how Jackie Chan accomplished his most recent martial arts feat, than the vision mechanisms that make it possible to see them.

In a recent article for a local newspaper, this author endeavored to explain some of the problems associated with 3D media by outlining some basic points in easily understandable terms. The result, obviously, was not a scholarly thesis; however, it does appear to have been fairly well received. The article was developed around several key points that may be good to emphasize when conducting patient education and community outreach efforts on problems related to 3D entertainment.

First, it is important to simply make sure people understand that an eye problem is involved. Most people who go to a 3D movie put on the gawky 3D eyeglasses and then either feel a headache or fail to experience 3D effects do not immediately realize that that the difficulty may be an eye or vision problem. However, in this author's experience, most people are reasonably receptive to this concept once it is explained. People generally seem interested in how 3D works and in many cases seem easily able to grasp the idea that to experience 3D, both eyes must view the same image from a slightly different angle. If one eye is not seeing the picture on the screen, appreciation of the 3D effect is lost. Understanding that, people may often be very receptive to a brief review of the eye problems that can keep a person from seeing with both eyes at the same time and the ways these problems can be addressed. Here are some ways to explain those problems in language the public understands.

Lazy eye—Children and their parents will find it interesting to learn that some young people (and, for that matter, some older people) may have one eye that sees better than the other and that, in such cases, the brain may suppress the poorer image leaving only one eye to “see.” Both children and parents may find it reassuring to know that if caught early enough, vision in the weaker eye can often be improved by treatment from an eye care practitioner resulting in equal vision in each eye. If no other problems exist, binocular vision may be achieved. In some cases this can be accomplished with simple vision correction, eyeglasses or contact lenses, or vision therapy, as opposed to surgical or medical treatment.

Crossed eyes—Patients (or parents of children) who have problems with one or both eyes “turning in” or “turning out,” will almost always be aware of the condition. However, they may not fully realize how it could hamper stereovision or the ability to experience 3D media. In many cases, they will be pleased to learn that the condition can be improved with corrective lenses or vision therapy. They may be even more pleased to learn that vision therapy can be provided in-office under the supervision of an eye doctor, or in the convenience of their own homes, where conventional vision therapy can be supplemented through the use of special software that can be installed on a home computer.

Age-related eye conditions—Just about everyone knows that people tend to experience vision problems as they get older. However, most people are not aware that age-related eye conditions can keep them from appreciating 3D. Many may never consider that the presence of a cataract or macular degeneration can result in one eye seeing better than the other. Nor might they have considered that a medical eye condition like glaucoma can affect the vision in one eye sooner than the other. Nor might they realize that an earlier eye injury may have permanently damaged one eye, making it difficult for their 2 eyes to make 2 images look like one. It may be helpful to also explain that some eye conditions can result in “double vision,” (because most people have heard of that), and that in some instances, the brain will learn to ignore the “weaker” image. Although this suppression of the poorer image prevents the person from experiencing double vision, it will also prevent the person from experiencing the 3D effect of the movie.

Explained in this manner, both patients and members of the general public will often find it easy to understand why they may not be able to properly view 3D media. Moreover, because the information comes couched in the context of a discussion on a new entertainment phenomenon, they may find it highly interesting. And that is why, in some ways, 3D media could prove important to eye and vision care as well as to the entertainment industry.

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Opportunities in 3D 

A discussion of vision problems encountered in the course of a 3D movie can very easily lead to education on the other reasons good binocular vision is important. As many as 12 of 100 children are believe to be affected by binocular vision problems. Moreover, many adults are believed to be undiagnosed binocular vision problems. Every optometrist knows such problems can adversely impact a child's performance in the classroom or an adult's performance on the job. Yet the majority of those binocular vision problems may well be going undiagnosed and thus untreated.

The American Optometric Association has been working diligently to advocate that all infants, preschoolers, and school-age children undergo comprehensive eye examinations to detect binocular vision problems and correct them as quickly as possible. However, many patients still rely on school vision screenings and the screening conducted by the pediatrician to identify eye problems that may impact their children (even though screeners and pediatricians usually do not check for binocular vision problems). And although it is now highly recommended that adults undergo regular comprehensive eye examinations, many, undoubtedly, still do not.

The emergence of 3D media provides a new opportunity for optometrists to educate the public on binocular vision and may provide an incentive for many children and adults to act on treating existing vision problems. Children and adults who have never really thought about vision before may suddenly have reason to inquire about it after experiencing problems while watching a 3D movie. Children, in particular, who might not have been anxious to undergo an eye examination or vision therapy simply for the sake of improving academic performance, may become highly motivated if it means being able to experience 3D movies (and particularly it become necessary to watch the latest television shows or play new video games).

Optometrists should not be surprised to see increasing numbers of parents presenting in their offices with complaints about problems they or their children have experienced during 3D movies. They should be prepared to provide or refer those patients for appropriate care. Undoubtedly there will be much research conducted in the coming years to determine the extent of 3D-related eye problems in the population. The growth of 3D will probably prompt additional research into binocular vision and result in new clinical insight into its correction. In the meantime, it may be appropriate to start including questions during patient histories about problems viewing 3D movies. It could certainly also be appropriate for many optometrists to begin conducting public education programs to let patients know that the answers to 3D vision problems can be found in their offices.