| Have you ever left a 3D movie with a headache or | | | | However, when watching a 3D movie, as your eyes |
| feeling nauseous? It's not in your head, there are actual | | | | try to follow the objects that move off the screen |
| health factors that contribute to making you feel | | | | toward you they converge to follow the object but |
| queasy during the latest box office hit. With 3D movies | | | | can not accommodate because they must stay |
| hitting theaters all the time, more and more people are | | | | focused on the screen, rather than the object. This |
| taking the opportunity to see the latest blockbusters in | | | | unnatural movement often causes headaches and |
| this exciting format. However, as these movies | | | | blurred vision. |
| become popular, stories of people getting sick after | | | | A University of California Berkeley dubbed this effect |
| watching them are popping up. | | | | "vergence accommodation conflict" and found that |
| In fact, the Italian ministry of health recently confiscated | | | | people in their 50's and 60's were less likely to |
| about 7,000 pairs of 3D movie glasses over evidence | | | | experience side effects while younger people may |
| that they may not have been cleaned effectively | | | | struggle more. |
| between uses and may contribute to short-term | | | | What You Can Do |
| eye-sight problems. | | | | Most theaters with newer technology use a single |
| 3D Glasses Carry Germs | | | | projector to alternate between both the right-eye and |
| A recent study done by Good Housekeeping revealed | | | | left-eye images (as opposed to the old-fashioned |
| that the special glasses movie watchers everywhere | | | | approach of using two projectors) at a rate of 144 |
| don so they can have the 3D experience carry germs | | | | times per second. This minimizes the properties that |
| that cause skin infections, conjunctivitis, food poisoning, | | | | caused headaches among viewers. |
| sepsis, and even pneumonia. | | | | Older stereoscopic glasses (with one red and one blue |
| The study tested wrapped and unwrapped glasses in | | | | lens) may also contribute to headaches, so finding a |
| seven theaters in the New York, New Jersey, and | | | | theater with new technology will help reduce your |
| Connecticut area and even found one pair with the | | | | chances of coming out of the movie with a headache. |
| germ that causes staph infections. However, doctors | | | | Also, trying not to look at the unfocussed parts of the |
| responded to the study stating that nothing is | | | | image may help keep headaches under control. |
| completely sterile and the same germs would likely be | | | | Motion Sickness |
| found on lots of surfaces in movie theaters. | | | | Movies done in 3D confuse your brain when they trick |
| What You Can Do | | | | your inner ear into thinking you are moving while your |
| The Good Housekeeping report found that using | | | | body knows it is sitting still. When this confusion |
| alcohol wipes to clean glasses before you wear them | | | | happens, people often experience motion sickness, |
| reduces the amount of germs found on the glasses | | | | headaches, and nausea. |
| by 95 percent. Washing your hands after using the | | | | What You Can Do |
| glasses and before touching your face or food can | | | | Looking away from the screen for a minute when you |
| also help reduce your risk of getting sick. | | | | feel nauseas may help reduce your feelings of motion |
| Headaches and Blurred Vision | | | | sickness. You can also take some motion sickness |
| Headaches and blurred vision during and after 3D | | | | medication before going to see the movie. |
| movies is usually a result of strained eyes. Normally | | | | The health care industry is full of interesting facts that |
| when an object moves toward you your eyes | | | | relate to activities people do every day, like go to the |
| converge (move inward) and follow its path and also | | | | movies. My Colleges and Careers is an excellent |
| accommodate (change the lens shape) to keep the | | | | resource for more information on how to get involved |
| object in focus. | | | | in this, and other exciting industries. |