Visual Discomfort in Stereoscopic Displays: A Review
Marc T.M. Lambooija,b, Wijnand A. IJsselsteijna, Ingrid Heynderickxb
a Human-Technology Interaction Group, Department of Technology Management, Eindhoven University of
Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
bGroup Visual Experiences, Philips Research Laboratories, Eindhoven and
Department Mediamatics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

Abstract
Visual discomfort has been the subject of considerable research in relation to stereoscopic and autostereoscopic
displays, but remains an ambiguous concept used to denote a variety of subjective symptoms potentially related to
different underlying processes. In this paper we clarify the importance of various causes and aspects of visual comfort.
Classical causative factors such as excessive binocular parallax and accommodation-convergence conflict appear to be
of minor importance when disparity values do not surpass one degree limit of visual angle, which still provides
sufficient range to allow for satisfactory depth perception in consumer applications, such as stereoscopic television.
Visual discomfort, however, may still occur within this limit and we believe the following factors to be the most
pertinent in contributing to this: (1) excessive demand of accommodation-convergence linkage, e.g., by fast motion in
depth, viewed at short distances, (2) 3D artefacts resulting from insufficient depth information in the incoming data
signal yielding spatial and temporal inconsistencies, and (3) unnatural amounts of blur. In order to adequately
characterize and understand visual discomfort, multiple types of measurements, both objective and subjective, are
needed.