Profession comments on 3D safety concerns

To address increasing public concern about the safety of viewing 3D, the optical bodies have released statements clarifying the potential health issues.

The announcements were made against a backdrop of negative publicity generated by Nintendo's statement that children aged six years and under should not play 3D games on its forthcoming games console the 3DS (News 14.01.11).

Observing that Nintendo's 3DS works in a slightly different way to other 3D systems so less is known about it, David Craig, director of operations for the Association of Optometrists, commented: 'There is nothing, at the moment, to suggest Nintendo's health warning is anything other than a precaution or that vision is at significant risk of permanent impairment through use of the system especially if used sensibly.'