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LOS ANGELES - Do not adjust your screens. Many kids who see "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" may not be dazzled by the 3-D effects. They're not bored; they may just have a vision disorder that prevents them from seeing 3-D.
On a more positive note, the movie presents parents a unique opportunity to evaluate their children's vision before the new school year for only $9.00 and maybe the cost of popcorn and a soda.
About five to seven percent of children cannot see 3-D at a distance, and a greater percentage struggle with seeing 3-D up close, according to College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) President Leonard Press, O.D.
If the movie does not look 3-D through the special glasses or if the movie appears 3-D but the viewer experiences eyestrain or headaches, a vision problem might be present.
There are a variety of vision problems that can cause difficulty with 3-D vision. Children with amblyopia ("lazy eye") or strabismus ("crossed eye") find it almost impossible to see 3-D. Children with convergence insufficiency, a condition that inhibits one's ability to keep both eyes focused correctly on a close target, may also have trouble.
Years ago, many children had spasms while watching "Pokemon." This appears to be unrelated to the inability to see 3-D.
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(c) 2003, Zap2it.com. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service.
