—James K. Willcox, Consumer Reports Magazine

In an effort to address what it believes is a fair amount of misinformation about the effects of 3D viewing on younger children, the American Optometric Association (AOA) has posted a 3D eye health FAQ on its website that tackles many commonly asked questions about the issue.

This isn't the AOA's first step into the world of 3D and discussions about the effect it can have on viewers. Earlier this year I attended an AOA-sponsored symposium—held in partnership with the 3D@Home Consortium—during which it was suggested that people who don't experience 3D or who have problems with it should get a comprehensive eye exam, as often these issues can be caused by an undiagnosed eye condition.

At that event, the AOA panelists also said that while there has been some concern that prolonged or frequent viewing of 3D content could cause eye problems, there is currently no evidence that supports that notion.

Still, concerns about the effect that 3D viewing can have on younger kids linger (for example, Nintendo recommends use of the 3D feature on the 3DS, its portable gaming console, only for children 7 and over). To address this issue, the AOA has posted a FAQ with answers to many common questions.

By Bill Hendrick WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

A large number of people who have problems with their eyesight don't visit eye doctors because of the cost or because they don't have health insurance that covers eye care, a CDC survey shows.

The survey shows that others don't get regular eye exams because they don't think they have eye problems, or for a variety of other reasons, such as having to travel too far to see doctors or specialists or having no transportation to get to their offices.

In a study involving 11,503 adults aged 40 and over who were considered to have moderate-to-severe visual impairment, 39.8% said they had skipped seeking care in the past year because of costs or lack of insurance.

Almost 35% said they didn't seek eyesight care because they felt they didn't need it, while 4.5% said they could not get an appointment.