Recently, warning labels was found accompanying early Nintendo 3DS demonstration models saying that children younger than six years old shouldn't play games on the 3D gaming device.

 

Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata said, “We are being proactive about informing our customer, even though it may not necessarily be positive for our sales.”

 

Mr. Iwata however said that the warning was only intended as a precautionary measure to inform customers of possible dangers, and in a lesser extent to protect the company from litigation. Last month Nintendo posted a message on its website stating that looking at 3D images for extended periods of time could have an adverse affect on eyesight development.

 

But according to the New York Times, eye specialists aren't in agreement, saying viewing 3D images does not have an adverse effect on eyesight. “The fact you'd watch 3D in a theater or a video game should have zero deleterious [harmful] impact whatsoever,” said Dr. Lawrence Tychsen, professor of pediatrics and ophthalmology at Washington University.

 

Dr. Tychsen has spent three months studying the effects of 3D imagery on baby Rhesus monkeys by making them wear 3D glasses and watch 3D content throughout the day. In his research he has found that there were no differences in eyesight development between the monkeys who watched 3D content and those without.

 

As the debate around 3D continues, there are talks of creating a standard method against which the effects of 3D devices can be measured. For the time being however, it seems that playing 3DS games should be just fine.