Introduction
3D-cinema is a growing audio-visual experience world-wide. There are anecdotal reports, that the exposure to 3D-movies can induce headache.
Aim
To establish the frequency of occurrence of headache after viewing 3D-movies in commercial cinemas, to describe the headache characteristics in response to the exposure and to assess possible contributing co-factors.
Methods
Specifically designed questionnaire, containing demographic data, name of a movie, prior history of headaches, exposure to possible contributing co-factors and headache descriptors, was distributed to 6000 visitors of three major cinemas in Estonia.
Results
By the date of the abstract's submission 1131 persons (337 men and 794 women) have responded to the questionnaire. The mean age of responders was 33 years (6-74). Among them 26.6 % reported to have had a headache in response to work in front of a non-3D computer screen, 13.9% in relation to 3D movies, and only 1.5% after watching 2D-films earlier in life. In this study, however, 6.2% of men and 11.6% of women reported to have headache: women were at a higher risk of occurrence of headache after or during the 3D-cinema compared to men (OR=1.78; 95%CI=1.18-2.69). More specific and final results, including the subgroups analysis will be presented.
Conclusions
Watching 3D-movies at a cinema can cause a headache. Further studies are needed to confirm the possible risk factors of individual susceptibility to the 3D-cinema headache. There is a need of rising public awareness of possible discomfort people may suffer during and after the explosion to 3D-movies.
No conflict of interest.