Influence of Watching 3D Television on Refractive Error in Children with Exodeviation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of watching three-dimensional (3D) television (TV) on the angle of deviation and refractive error in children with exodeviation. METHODS: Twenty-three volunteers with exodeviation, aged 6 to 12 years, without any ocular abnormalities other than refractive error and exodeviation were recruited for this study. The subjects watched 3D TV for 50 minutes at a viewing distance of 2.8 meters. The image disparity of 3D contents was -1 to 1 degree. Refractive errors were measured before and immediately after watching TV and after a 10-minute rest. The changes in angle of deviation were also obtained. Refractive errors and angle of deviation before and after watching 3D TV were compared. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 9.30 +/- 1.58 years. The mean baseline angle of deviation was 13.04 +/- 5.25 (6-30) prism diopters (PD), which did not change significantly immediately after watching 3D TV and after a 10-minute rest (p = 0.452). The mean refractive errors were -2.15 +/- 1.55 D in the right eye and -2.06 +/- 1.55 D in the left eye before and changed to -2.14 +/- 1.57 D and -2.11 +/- 1.45 D, respectively, immediately after watching 3D TV. After a 10 minute rest, the mean refractive errors were 2.14 +/- 1.53 D in the right eye and -2.07 +/- 1.53 D in the left eye. All changes in refractive errors were not statistically significant (p = 0.991 in right eye, 0.495 in left eye). The amount of myopic shift in both eyes immediately after watching 3D TV was correlated with the angle of exodeviation (r = 0.468, p = 0.024). However, the correlation disappeared after a 10-minute rest (r = 0.345, p = 0.107). CONCLUSIONS: Watching properly made 3D contents on 3D TV for 50 minutes at more than 2.8 meters of viewing distance did not affect the refractive error in children with exodeviation. Further studies on the relationship between the amount of myopic shift and the angle of exodeviation are necessary.