Blockbuster Movie Helps Identify Vision Problems

A variety of vision problems could be detected when disappointed viewers who go to see the three-dimensional (3D) box-office hit Avatar, realize they cannot see in 3D.

The 3D version of James Cameron's Avatar has two images projected on the screen, each image seen by one eye; the images are then merged into one by the brain. However, if the images are not perceived correctly, it is very difficult to merge or fuse the images into stereoscopic image. People who suffer from this situation are termed "stereo blind,” a condition that occurs when the two eyes do not work together in a normal way. If a person has only one eye they are truly stereo-blind, with no hope of gaining stereopsis; however, most people who are stereo blind have two eyes, but lack the ability to use both eyes together. Examples of this are those individuals with strabismus (crossed or turned eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye) and another more common condition, nonstrabismic binocular vision dysfunction, a condition where the individual has some ability to use their eyes together but, they just do it poorly. Others may have 3D vision but feel nauseous or dizzy when watching 3D images, a condition known as visual motion hypersensitivity.

"There are a variety of vision problems which may cause intermittent problems, where you will see 3D part of the time. This can definitely cause headaches or at the least make viewing very uncomfortable,” said Bradley Habermehl, M.D., president of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD; Aurora, OH, USA), an international, nonprofit optometric membership organization. However, Dr. Habermehl has a message for stereo blind individuals. "It is our mission to educate the public on the fact that you can become 3D ready,” he declares. "Optometric vision therapy has helped thousands of people across the world to be able to see 3D.”

Optometric vision therapy is a progressive program of vision procedures performed under doctor supervision, and individualized to fit the visual needs of each patient. Once or twice weekly in-office sessions of 30 minutes to an hour are supplemented occasionally with other procedures done at home. The procedures are intended to help patients develop or improve fundamental visual skills and abilities, and change how a patient processes or interprets visual information.

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College of Optometrists in Vision Development