Visual discomfort while watching stereoscopic three-dimensional movies at the cinema

Purpose This study investigates discomfort symptoms while watching Stereoscopic three-dimensional (S3D) movies in the ‘real’ condition of a cinema. In particular, it had two main objectives: to evaluate the presence and nature of visual discomfort while watching S3D movies, and to compare visual symptoms during S3D and 2D viewing. Method Cinema spectators of S3D or 2D films were interviewed by questionnaire at the theatre exit of different multiplex cinemas immediately after viewing a movie. Results A total of 854 subjects were interviewed (mean age 23.7 ± 10.9 years; range 8–81 years; 392 females and 462 males). Five hundred and ninety-nine of them viewed different S3D movies, and 255 subjects viewed a 2D version of a film seen in S3D by 251 subjects from the S3D group for a between-subjects design for that comparison. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors underlying symptoms: External Symptoms Factors (ESF) with a mean ± S.D. symptom score of 1.51 ± 0.58 comprised of eye