[Philip Lelyveld comment: We have numerous samples of curved-lens Marchon glasses discussed in this article in the 3D Lab.]

[New York Times}

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The pleasure of quality 3D glasses, explained David Johnson, the president of Marchon 3D, when I spoke to him on the phone after seeing “Hugo,” is that their lenses are curved—as opposed to the models they distribute at movie houses, which are apparently flatter, one-size-fits-all models. “Having the flat piece come so far from your eye means having the backscatter,” he explained. I’d never head the term before; I’m not even sure it’s one or two words. “Any light coming from overhead or behind you bounces off the inside of the lens and can cause light flashes and ghosting.” He also said that the wearer was less likely to experience dry eyes and irritation with curved lenses. And priced in the $30-$40 range, they don’t cost much more than your ticket and a Coke these days.

I frankly hadn’t noticed the backscatter with generics. I’ve got bigger problems when I go to movies: people bouncing against the back of my seat, taking 45 minutes to unwrap a cough drop, sneaking frequent peeks at their iPhones in case the White House is calling.

There is one condition that might prompt me to invest in a pair of quality 3D eyewear—if they cut the ticket price. When I purchased mine for “Hugo,” with the $3 3D surcharge, I inquired whether they might consider waiving the fee since I brought my own. Actually, I was too embarrassed to admit I had; I posed the question as a hypothetical. However, the ticket seller shook his head glumly and said no.

Mr. Johnson informed me that when you go to the movies in Europe, you buy your 3D glasses separately, creating a greater incentive for ownership. Perhaps because we don’t have that incentive here, “The U.S. adoption rate is slightly slower,” he conceded.

I was still frankly mystified by the underlying notion that 3D glasses could make a fashion statement.

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See the full story here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203960804577239300581314074.html