Following an official Nintendo announcement last month recommending children under the age of six not use the soon to launch pocket-friendly 3DS, a British sight specialist has announced use of the glasses-free 3D games console could irreversibly damage children’s peepers.

With Nintendo’s health warning urging parents to be aware of the potential sight damaging affects of the portable 3D console, Richard Pakey, British eye expert and optician from The Eyewear Centre has announced: "One possible explanation for the safety advice issued by Nintendo could be something to do with children's 'critical eyesight period’.”

Pakey added: "This is arguably between the ages of 2 to 6 and at this stage children are very much in the developmental process visually, and any persuasions optically could indeed have a negative impact permanently."

Whilst some children might not be able to enjoy the 3DS’s specs-less 3D party piece due to "reduced binocular vision, rendering the 3D effect useless,” Parkey was keen to express the potential dangers of 3D beyond the single-digit age bracket.

"There is a grey area surrounding the potential eye health issues caused by 3D, this is concerning ALL age groups, not just under 6 year olds," the eye specialist declared. "Our own Professional body - the General Optical Council (GOC) cannot issue clinical guidance for 3D eyewear until the release of 'prescription' 3D eyewear which is due later this year.

Pegged for a global release in March following a February 26th Japan launch, full 3DS UK release dates and pricing information is expected to be announced at the device’s official European unveiling in Amsterdam tomorrow.

Stay tuned to T3.com and the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds for all the latest live from the European 3DS unveiling.

Via: TechRadar