The Nintendo 3DS has garnered a lot of attention this holiday season, but probably not in the way Nintendo wants. News outlets like the Associated Press and Wall Street Journal have been publishing what can legitimately be called "scare pieces" about the Nintendo 3DS potentially wrecking the eyesight of kids under the age of six.
Optometrists are divided over whether or not 3D images can negatively affect the long-term sight of children. The eyes of kids under six are still developing, and there's not enough research to support or discredit the idea that 3D imagery might harm them. All 3D televisions and devices therefore carry warnings about limiting youths' viewing time, and most optometrists agree that limiting a kid's play time on any electronic device is common sense.
However, the media has taken a more urgent approach with its reports on the Nintendo 3DS, which could lead parents to believe that the 3DS will shoot lasers directly into their kids' eyes. Most of these articles fail to mention that 3DS has a slider that adjusts the depth of the on-screen 3D image, or turns it off entirely.
Gamasutra's Chris Morris posted an excellent article about the media's coverage of the Nintendo 3DS's 3D screen. How do you feel about all the "attention" currently being given to the 3DS?
Optometrists are divided over whether or not 3D images can negatively affect the long-term sight of children. The eyes of kids under six are still developing, and there's not enough research to support or discredit the idea that 3D imagery might harm them. All 3D televisions and devices therefore carry warnings about limiting youths' viewing time, and most optometrists agree that limiting a kid's play time on any electronic device is common sense.
However, the media has taken a more urgent approach with its reports on the Nintendo 3DS, which could lead parents to believe that the 3DS will shoot lasers directly into their kids' eyes. Most of these articles fail to mention that 3DS has a slider that adjusts the depth of the on-screen 3D image, or turns it off entirely.
Gamasutra's Chris Morris posted an excellent article about the media's coverage of the Nintendo 3DS's 3D screen. How do you feel about all the "attention" currently being given to the 3DS?
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