s 3Ds XL bad for kids eyes ?

Hi,

I'm interested to buy a new 3DS XL for my son who will be 7yrs old this may. This is our first time buying a nintendo system for my son. My son is really interested in the mario games. But while doing some online reading on 3Ds my wife has came across few articles which suggests that the 3D feature in the 3Ds is not good for kids eyes. My wife does not want to get one & spoil my son's eyes. Instead she prefers to get a Wii U system for my son so he can play on big TV which would be less harmful to eyes. But I'm interested in the 3Ds just because of the huge games library. I'm too confused reading some of the articles online on this topic.

My questions:

1. Does Nintendo 3Ds XL hurt kids eyes even if played in the 2D mode ?

2. Is Wii U better than a 3Ds XL (played in 2D mode) for kids eyes since its played on big TV ? portability or price is not a concern for us.

Thanks in advance.

Can some parents who have brought for their kids give their feedback on this?

Appreciate your time. Thanks in advance,

1. In 2D mode the screen wouldn't hurt your eyes more than any other device with a glowing screen I'm pretty sure. But if you turn on the 3D it could potentially damage your son's eyes. I just play with 2D and no 3D and it hasn't ruined my experience playing if you're also wondering if it effects the quality of the gameplay.

2. I don't have a Wii U but from what I have seen a 3DS still seems like a better option with the game selection it has.

Every 3DS game box has a notice in the front and/or back saying that the 3D mode can harm children's eyes if their age is below 7. Playing games in 3D should not harm your son's eyes. However, it DOES take a few days to adapt to the 3D effect. If he does turn on the 3D and have it on for long periods of time, expect some headaches and eye strains for the first few days. This is why I would always recommend going to the Parental Controls in the System Settings and disabling the 3D effect for kids his age. Even though his age is suitable for 3D and the headaches and eye strains can happen to anyone at any age, I'm always overly cautious when it comes to kids.

When played in 2D Mode, the 3DS will not do any harm to your, or your son's, eyes.

The 3DS XL's screen is larger than most smartphones. Everything is big and easy to read for a handheld device. The Wii U will depend on how big your TV is and visuals will be larger, but saying that it's better for your eyes is not necessarily true. Staring at a screen for multiple hours without break does have its consequences, no matter if it's portable or TV.

You can also consider getting a 2DS, which does not have the 3D effect, but the 3DS XL's better battery life and larger screens are definitely a huge advantage.

I just got a 3DS XL for myself and tried the 3D but it strained my eyes in no time so I turned it off and the screen looks like any other screen, it just happens to be in your hands due to the nature of the system. The bigger screen on the XL is pretty nice as well.

I don't know much about the Wii-U, but I believe it can play Wii games so that opens up a decent sized library. It is nice to play on a big screen but it really comes down to which system you think will provide more/better games. The 3DS has the big DS library as well, which is rather intimidating due to the amount of high quality games available (plus it has Pokemon, which is a plus).

This.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

@davmike27: buy it for yourself lol, you are able to turn off the 3d mode.

@yoocon: Ya..you were right. After a week's research on this product i'm more interested to get one for myself :-)

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There is no data whatsoever about the 3ds screen damaging anyone's eyes. They just slap on a warning so that nobody sues them years later.

I've been looking at 3d images since a young age, from holograms, red/green anaglyph images in magazines, to magic eye pictures, viewmaster slides and imax movies. I don't believe it has affected me at all. The real world is in 3d. This is how we see things 95% of the time. It's actually more unnatural to look at 2d images.

It's bad for everyone's eyes. And head.

They just make a point about kids because most of development happens at an early age and they'll be more susceptible.

Probably the biggest reason they made the 2DS. Which btw, is somewhat more ergonomic and cheaper.

http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/living/3-d-movies-glasses.cfm

At this time there are no conclusive studies on the short- and/or long-term effects of 3-D digital products on eye and visual development, health, or function in children, nor are there persuasive, conclusive theories on how 3-D digital products could cause damage in children with healthy eyes.

http://news.psu.edu/story/273647/2013/04/17/medical-minute-are-3d-movies-and-games-bad-your-eyes

While 3D does not bother everyone, some people feel temporary side effects. It is not something that can cause harm or lead to a permanent condition.

"You take the glasses off, you relax for a few minutes and you feel fine," he said.

Bennett's advice is to limit use of 3D imaging if you are sensitive and to take breaks if gaming or watching television.