1. Editorial
Brock String Debuts at 2011 Consumer Electronics Show
Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A
Editor
How Do You End
Up Talking at the
Consumer Electronics
Show about Binocular
Vision Dysfunction?
This day was supposed
to be uneventful. You’ve had
those days. You wake up,
shower…eat some breakfast
and then go to work. My day
at work often includes a bit of
writing and research; reading
and responding to my email; More than 140,000 individuals attended the CES in Las Vegas. Dr. Maino may have been the first
helping out in a laboratory; optometrist to make a presentation at this massive meeting.
lecturing and spending some time in various clinics internet sites published stories of moviegoers having
and working with a wide variety of students and headaches, double vision, dizziness and even nausea
patients. This day started out just like that … and while watching the movie.
then … and then, while I was in the afternoon session I agreed to talk to the producer of the show
of the Illinois Eye Institute’s Pediatric/Binocular (Chicago ABC’s Health Beat with Sylvia Perez). The
Service, Dr. Mark Colip, the Illinois College of producer said that she would not only like to come
Optometry’s Vice President for Student, Alumni, out to interview me, but also a patient who has
and College Development, stopped by and asked me had problems while watching 3D content. I found
if I would like to speak to an ABC News reporter the perfect individual who was a 28 year-old female
about eye problems associated with 3D movies. This athletic trainer contact lens wearer whom I had
was a very hot topic at the time because Avatar 3D known for about two years but was not my patient.
was just released in many movie theaters around When watching Avatar she noticed headaches,
the country. Numerous television stations, radio blurred vision, eyestrain, diplopia, dizziness/nausea
shows, newspapers, blogs and social digital media and motion sickness. I completed an evaluation
and diagnosed accommodative infacility/instability/
insufficiency, diplopia and convergence insufficiency.
Correspondence regarding this editorial should be emailed to My patient then informed me she has had reading
dmaino@covd.org or sent to Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, Illinois issues since 5th grade and that the college she attended
College of Optometry, 3241 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60616. All
statements are the author’s personal opinion and may not reflect the opinions
made her participate in a remedial reading program
of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, Optometry & Vision so she could handle the academic demands of higher
Development or any institution or organization to which the author may education. When she asked her family eye doctor
be affiliated. Permission to use reprints of this article must be obtained from what binocular vision testing was previously done, the
the editor. Copyright 2011 College of Optometrists in Vision Development.
OVD is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals. Online access is
doctor told her, “None.”
available at http://www.covd.org. When the TV producer and her video and sound
team came for the interview, both my patient and I
Maino D. Brock String Debuts at 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. Optom
were ready. We discussed what happened visually
Vis Dev 2011;42(1):6-9.
while my patient was watching the 3D movie, the
6 Optometry & Vision Development

2. many vision problems present, and that optometric Ms. Suzanne Kantra, the moderator of the 3D Moms
vision therapy was the recommended treatment. (To session, also wrote a story on her blog Techlicious7
watch the news broadcast go to Health Beat: The titled: “What to Do if You Feel Sick Watching 3D
3D Dilemma1 .) After vision therapy was completed Movies”8 which mentioned many of my suggestions
I presented a poster 2 at the American Academy of concerning 3D viewing and the fact that even infants
Optometry meeting and am now in the process of can have their eyes examined (InfantSEE® program9).
writing this up for publication. From that poster, the So, “How Do You End Up Talking at the Consumer
phrase 3D Vision Syndrome was born. Electronics Show about Binocular Vision Dysfunction?”
3D Vision Syndrome has all the required 1.) You are in the right place at the right time.
qualifications for a new (but not yet officially 2.) You are willing to stick your neck out and
recognized) syndrome. Syndromes are typically take a chance that the outcomes will be what
characterized by a group of symptoms that collec- you would like.
tively indicate the presence of a specific disease, 3.) You bring all your knowledge to the
psychological problem, other abnormal condition discussion.
or, as in this case, a functional vision disorder that 4.) You bring all your clinical skills/experiences
manifests while viewing 3D content. Technologically to the discussion.
induced functional vision impairment probably began 5.) You want to share what you know for the
around the time that Johannes Gutenberg first mass benefit of all.
produced the Bible . It now occurs not only when we
3
6.) You make yourself available.
interact with books; but also while using computers, 7.) You say “YES” a lot even though you are
viewing 3D movies, playing 3D video games and incredibly busy.
when we use 3D content in the classroom. 8.) You are prepared to do something a bit
After the ABC Chicago television station aired the different, for the unexpected, and to be
3D segment, the American Optometric Association flexible.
called upon me and several
others including COVD Presenting that (not so)
Fellow and past president, 3D. There’s an app for New Technological
Dr. Len Press to act as
spokespersons. The AOA then
that. It’s called Optometric Marvel: The Brock
String!
proceeded to “get the word” Vision Therapy. While the CES audience
out with remarkable speed. of about 200 was waiting as
Len and I were interviewed the 3D Moms panel got ready,
on TV and radio, and by several writers for various I had the staff hand out pieces of string to those in
national newspapers, magazines and numerous attendance. I carefully watched the reaction of the
Internet sites. attendees as they accepted the string. Some individuals
The writer of one of those stories was Robin Raskin. smiled. Some looked quizzical. Some indicated they
Her company’s website, Living in Digital Times,4 notes did not want the string (could this be a new tracking
that: “Living the digital life changes everything. It device?). A few looked at me as if asking, “Huh?”
changes how we communicate, entertain, and educate After the first two speakers finished their
ourselves. Living the digital life also begs all sorts of presentations, I started my hi-tech introduction into
all-too-human questions, from privacy, to freedom of the world of 3D by showing the American Optometric
speech, from raising kids to aging …” This company Association’s (AOA) movie on this topic (3-D TV and
is known for the conferences, exhibits, and websites Movies Look to Attract Viewers But Not Everyone
that bring together a variety of individuals. At the Can ‘See’ What All the Hype is About10). This brief
Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Robin runs the (about 1 minute) video is available on YouTube.10 The
Mommy Tech Summit5 and after interviewing me for AOA does a remarkably good job in describing how
a story about 3D Vision Syndrome for an Internet 3D images are created within our brain in a very short
article, I was asked to speak during the 3D Moms amount of time. It also notes that vision therapy can
CES session. After the CES show, she placed Dr. be used to correct any functional vision problems that
Maino’s Tips for Safe 3D Viewing6 on her website. can stop the consumer from appreciating 3D content.
Volume 42/Number 1/2011 7

3. Next I picked up my Brock String and asked the optometry of the importance of vision development,
audience to do the same. I had them tie knots in the binocular vision and optometric vision therapy.
string about 2 inches from the nose, in the middle of 3D. There’s an app for that. It’s called Optometric
the string, and about 2 inches from the far end of the Vision Therapy.
string. I explained that this technological marvel was
called the Brock String and that I was now not only Keywords
going use this to explain many concepts of binocular 3D movies, 3D television, 3D video-games,
vision as it pertains to 3D, but was also going to 3D Vision Syndrome, Consumer Electronics Show,
diagnose those with binocular dysfunction right in Nintendo 3DS, developmental optometry
front of their eyes!
As I put my audience through their Brock String References
diagnostic, I noted 3 individuals with diplopia (when Note: URLs are functional hyperlinks to Internet addresses.
they looked at the middle knot), about 6 people with 1. Health Beat: The 3D Dilemma available at http://abclocal.go.com/wls/
suppression, 10 others had convergence insufficiency, story?section=news/health&id=7298893 accessed 01-10-11
and then a smaller number with other disorders of 2. The 3D Vision Syndrome: A Case Report available at http://www.slideshare.
net/DMAINO/3d-vision-syndrome accessed 01-10-11
vergence. I informed them how each of these could
3. Available at http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventors/a/Gutenberg.
disrupt the enjoyment of 3D content and result in htm accessed 1-10-11
the symptoms associated with 3D Vision Syndrome. 4. Living in Digital Times available at http://livingindigitaltimes.com/
Suddenly I could tell, they were starting to grasp accessed 01-10-11
the importance of single, clear, comfortable two-eye 5. Mommy Tech Summit available at http://www.mommytechsummit.com/
accessed 01-10-11
vision and how it affects the viewing of 3D movies,
6. Dr. Maino’s Tips for Safe 3D Viewing available at http://www.
television, video-games and educational applications. mommytechsummit.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=dr-
When asked what could be done for these disorders, I mainos-tips-for-safe-3d-viewing-174.html&Itemid=46 accessed 01-10-11
noted that in my hand-out I had the URL for COVD 7. Techlicious available at http://www.techlicious.com/health-home accessed
01-10-11
and that they should use the doctor locator tab to find
8. What to Do if You Feel Sick Watching 3D Movies available at http://www.
an optometrist near them. After the completion of my techlicious.com/tip/what-to-do-if-you-feel-sick-watching-3d-movies/
presentation, about 10 audience members followed accessed 01-10-11
me out of the 3D Moms session room to continue 9. InfantSee program information available at http://www.infantsee.org
accessed 01-10-11
the discussion.
10. 3-D TV and Movies Look to Attract Viewers But Not Everyone Can ‘See’ What
All the Hype is About is a 1.5 minute video available on YouTube at http://
What’s Next? www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDcJz8YKWm0 accessed 01-10-11
It is important for all of us, including the various
optometric organizations to which we belong, to
emphasize that we are not the naysayers of the 3D
experience. Unlike that other eye-care profession
that tells consumers not to view 3D if it makes them
uncomfortable; we are not the Doomsday docs of
3D. We want 3D to succeed so that all can enjoy an
improved vocational, recreational and educational
experience. The 3D Techno-Entertainment-
Educational-Industrial Complex should work with
the AOA and COVD to ensure that consumers can
use and enjoy their products. We should urge SONY,
Nintendo, and all other leaders in the 3D area to
use what they do best to create a massive, worldwide
public health program to help determine who might
have vision problems that interfere with the 3D
experience. This would not only result in an increase
in the consumers’ satisfaction when using 3D content,
but also in a resurgence within the profession of
8 Optometry & Vision Development