We promised you we’d look closer into the 3DTV warning that Samsung issued a few weeks ago. Well, we heard back from the electronics company and talked to an expert on elderly eyes to find out the real deal about seniors and 3DTVs.
Samsung didn’t grant us an interview, but it did issue an official statement from its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. It says, in, part, that:
“Samsung 3D TVs are safe. Like many other consumer electronic products, Samsung 3D TVs – and all Samsung TVs – carry a consumer advisory to equip our customers with information necessary to enjoy our products responsibly…Watching 3D TV is an entirely new experience and with any new technology, we advise customers to use their own judgment if they experience discomfort. When used properly with instructions and advisories followed, 3D functions should not pose adverse health or safety risks to elderly customers.”
Our eye expert, Dr. Dominick M. Maino, who is editor of the Optometry & Vision Development journal, a member of the American Optometric Association and a professor at Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute, affirms Samsung’s statement.
“Right now, as far as I know, there’s currently no evidence to support the belief that 3D movies harm the eyes – and that includes seniors,” he says.
Dr. Maino does note, however, that senior eyes may not be as good at conversion, or moving the eyes toward each other to form a singular picture, as younger viewers are. “The eyes are really only designed to last for 40 years,” he says. “In our late 50s, 60s and older a huge percentage of us have problems getting the eyes to turn in enough to create binocular vision.”
This type of vision is necessary for 3DTV viewing. Without it, seniors may experience double vision, blurred vision, nausea and eye strain when utilizing their TV’s 3D functionality. These symptoms can last from one hour to the better part of a day, according to Dr. Maino.
All hopes are not lost, however, if you’re unable to see a 3D picture or experience these symptoms when viewing 3DTV. There are many vision remedies out there, although they cannot be obtained without a comprehensive eye exam, which Dr. Maino believes should happen every year if you’re 60 or older.
Dr. Maino has a few other tips for seniors. He recommends watching 3DTV in normal room lighting, creating a comfortable TV-watching environment and, ironically, staying active for optimal 3DTV viewing.
“As research shows, the more active you are the better your brain is,” he says. “And the better your brain works the better your eyes work. Watching a 3D movie for an hour or two would be just fine, but then go do something that’s active for you.”
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