"Health risk"

[jcunwired]

Hi,

Just an FYI, since this is the first I've heard this. I just spoke with a rep at Best Buy Mobile asking about their insurance plan, benefits of purchasing through them instead of Sprint, etc. and when we started casually discussing new phone choices it was mentioned "The Evo 3D does come with a health risk, if you have children 7 or under its not a good idea to have this phone around" (due to 3D).

 

[NeoteriX]

Hi,

Just an FYI, since this is the first I've heard this. I just spoke with a rep at Best Buy Mobile asking about their insurance plan, benefits of purchasing through them instead of Sprint, etc. and when we started casually discussing new phone choices it was mentioned "The Evo 3D does come with a health risk, if you have children 7 or under its not a good idea to have this phone around" (due to 3D).

IMO, the "risk" is a bit overblown. The 3DS has similar concerns and warnings, but it's a children's toy. I don't think there's any evidence that 3D disrupts development, but moreso that the warnings are out of an abundance of caution and unwillingness to get sued.

Reports: Nintendo warns of 3DS risk for kids | Gaming and Culture - CNET News

 

[cobalt]

Hi,

Just an FYI, since this is the first I've heard this. I just spoke with a rep at Best Buy Mobile asking about their insurance plan, benefits of purchasing through them instead of Sprint, etc. and when we started casually discussing new phone choices it was mentioned "The Evo 3D does come with a health risk, if you have children 7 or under its not a good idea to have this phone around" (due to 3D).

Lots and lots of huff and puff about this for the 3DS. I'd look around for 3DS info if you're curious. (If I have time and find some links, I'll come back and edit this to add links. Edit: nevermind, NeoteriX beat me to it!)

Here's the summary:
- current stereoscopic 3D is an illusion because the optical depth general differs from the parallax depth
- thus to get the effect, your eyes need to work a little differently than they would for the real world
- this might be bad: children's eyes are still developing, so doing ocular contortions for many hours could possibly impede proper development
- but this can also be good, because if they can't see the 3D effect, it can help you detect otherwise subtle problems in the human visual system

And so the recommendation was that if you have young children, limit their exposure to the 3D effect, maybe turning it off if they're playing with your phone for very long. This isn't a major risk, just don't let them over-do the 3D. (Caveat: I am not a medical doctor.)

 

[EarlyMon]

SFAIK, this started with an ophthalmologist's statement back in 2009 - young eye muscles, not being used as nature intended, and no studies showing any safety and his anecdotal evidence that youngsters seem not well-suited for this = recipe for disaster, in his opinion.

He was initially flamed, then band-wagoned by the wannabees, then a few others with medical credentials came out in agreement - some saying err on the side of caution, others citing this or that case in the journals that they said applied.

If I can find those links, I'll post back - but that's my memory of it.

) evidently, this is ninja day!)

 

[ArmageddonX]

There is a really good thread about this here:
http://androidforums.com/htc-evo-3d/345384-3d-pop-out-clarified-violations-lead-discomfort.html

 

[Kurakka]

Penny Arcade has an interesting look at the Nintendo 3DS. I think they do it to cover their own butts in the event a kid goes blind.

 

[EarlyMon]

Penny Arcade has an interesting look at the Nintendo 3DS. I think they do it to cover their own butts in the event a kid goes blind.

If only there were some way to get parents to intercede so that no kid goes blind. Maybe, I dunno, like a warning or something on the box.

(not ragging ya, just a bit of fun - can't have Penny Arcade without a bit of fun )

 

[sikclown]

Yeah this goes along with every other warning in our society. Remember a few years back when a guy in Japan died after playing a video game for like 38 hours straight without any breaks or food or water and he essentially went into seizures or something along those lines? And now video games come with the warnings about seizures and health risks. Or, I love this one, my iron which came with the warning "Do not iron clothes while wearing them". Companies now have to warn of everything to combat idiotic lawsuits for things that should really just be common sense. When I spend all day in front of my laptop and my eyes start to hurt I take a break and give my eyes some rest, I don't keep going and then sue Sony when I go cross eyed.

 

[EarlyMon]

Yeah this goes along with every other warning in our society. Remember a few years back when a guy in Japan died after playing a video game for like 38 hours straight without any breaks or food or water and he essentially went into seizures or something along those lines? And now video games come with the warnings about seizures and health risks. Or, I love this one, my iron which came with the warning "Do not iron clothes while wearing them". Companies now have to warn of everything to combat idiotic lawsuits for things that should really just be common sense. When I spend all day in front of my laptop and my eyes start to hurt I take a break and give my eyes some rest, I don't keep going and then sue Sony when I go cross eyed.

I once laid out a storyboard for a vid I wanted to make just for fun, here in the New Mexico desert -

Aliens attack, I'm behind a sand dune in fatigues, loaded with supplies from K-Mart - noting the warning label on the plastic bag for pajamas that used improperly you could suffocate, that's the first thing I throw at them; followed by a close-up on the warning label for candles that they can cause fires, then, candles over the top! Had about 80 everyday products like that - figured the space aliens would surely die without our rag-tag survival skills in face of these terrible dangers!

 

[novox77]

For an image that appears to pop out, you are focusing on a point in space between your phone and eyes.

This is the exact thing as reading a book really close to your face. You'll feel the eyestrain in no time.

As I recall, the whole "eyes go bad if you read too closely or watch TV too closely" was debunked quite a while ago, and this is now relegated as a wives tale.

Mainstream opthalmologists will tell you that acute sessions of eye strain have no long-term effect on vision. Sitting in front of the computer all day (like I do) causes eye strain but also has no permanent effects. I ask this question at ALL my eye exams because of how much eyestrain I have needing to be in front of a computer all day for work, and then having to moderate these damn forums (j/k)

"Correlation does not imply causation" is really relevant here. It's like saying that if you work out your arms with weights, you are permanently damaging your arm muscles simply because they get tired and sore.

Your eye does change shape especially through puberty, so vision problems tend to be noticed at around age 11 or 12. But that doesn't mean it's caused by anything the kid did while younger. It would have happened anyway.

 

[EarlyMon]

Warning:

AndroidForums.com takes no responsibility for medical or legal advice in this thread.

None of us are claiming to be doctors or lawyers and even if any of our posters are, they are not your doctor or your lawyer.

Thank you.

 

[novox77]

mmm good point. I have as much of a doctorate as Dr. Dre. And as much royalty as Queen Latifah.

 

[EarlyMon]

mmm good point. I have as much of a doctorate as Dr. Dre. And as much royalty as Queen Latifah.

Uh huh.

And you look really, REALLY carefully - you can see what I did there.

 

[cobalt]

And you look really, REALLY carefully - you can see what I did there.

I did look really, really carefully, and now my eyes hurt!

Oh, NOW I get it.

 

[RichboyJhae]

Uh huh.

And you look really, REALLY carefully - you can see what I did there.

I don't get it

 

[EarlyMon]

I don't get it

Well - we were talking about warnings, and how they're everywhere, telling you what you ought already know...

 

[jcunwired]

Well, it stands to reason that if virtually every reviewer (presumed, although not verified that they are all over the age of 7) complained of headaches, its probably not a good idea for small children to be watching. Personally, I only have dogs, and until Marley & Me is ported to 3D they won't much care.

Thanks for the references and explanations!

 

[Cajunkid]

I would agree about not allowing young children to play 3D games. Eyes are muscles and they must fully develop like the human body. Last thing you want is to ruin your kids eyesight and then they cannot become an aviator or an imagery analyst. Kids do not know how to control themselves, let alone important muscles. I can see kids going cross eyed trying to focus in on a 3D image too hard. But I don't think anyone will allow a 7 year old to play with a 3VO and I doubt developers are going to make games in 3D for the kiddies right away.

 

[jerofld]

and I doubt developers are going to make games in 3D for the kiddies right away.

Have you played any Spiderman games? Or any other comic book related games? They are all designed for kids, or at least, with all player ages in mind. No one dies, there's no gore, and the bad guys get arrested or disappear without any certainty that they died.

 

[Cajunkid]

Have you played any Spiderman games? Or any other comic book related games? They are all designed for kids, or at least, with all player ages in mind. No one dies, there's no gore, and the bad guys get arrested or disappear without any certainty that they died.

I don't think game developers design apps with 7 year olds and under as their focal point. 7 year olds don't buy cell phones. Grown men play video games more than kids. They have jobs to buy the games and gaming systems. And they dont have a bed time or curfew.

 

[markgbe]

thats ok with me. NOONE is touching this phone when i get it, especially people under the age of.. 21