An Australian vision expert says that watching 3D television should not have a negative effect on a person's vision. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Professor Colin Clifford, an expert on how the brain interprets signals from the eyes, says that fears over the introduction 3D TVs are misguided.

"The concern about 3DTV originates with the development, a couple of years ago, of virtual reality goggles which have tiny screens right in front of both eyes which present a slightly different image to each eye. As 3DTV is usually watched from a longer distance it is unlikely to affect how the eyes and brain perceive depth of field," said Clifford.

Such goggles are said to force each eye to focus on a point that is too close. This happens while the user's brain receives images that seem far away. This is said to be harmful because it is not the natural orientation for the eyes when looking into the distance. Also, it raises the potential for messing up the brain's processing system.

Clifford adds that there is an argument that 3D television actually created less conflict for the brain's vision interpretation processes compared to ordinary television sets.

Nonetheless, Clifford advises people to watch television from a safe distance of two to three meters and only within the recommended daily time limits.