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How can watching 3D television or movies get more comfortable? How does 3D affect your overall eye health? What does it mean if you're among the millions who just can't see the 3D effect others are buzzing about?

Those are among the questions to be answered by a new partnership between The American Optometric Association and the 3D@Home Consortium, a trade group trying to speed the adoption of 3D technology.

“To be able to work with a group like the AOA is critical because they have the science to detect what is comfortable what isn't, and help us develop the new technologies as things move forward to better that experience,” says Rick Dean of the 3D@Home Consortium.

Recently, at the first meeting of the new group, the first issue on the table was how to educate people about how 3D movies can serve as a sort of self-diagnostic tool.

“If, in fact, you can't enjoy the 3D effect your colleagues and neighbors do when you go to movies and other gaming devices out there, you should go visit your doctor of optometry to discuss these symptoms because in fact you could have an undiagnosed visual issue,” says Dr. Joe Ellis, president of the American Optometric Association. “Typically we have issues out there where people don't have binocular vision. Sometimes they can have a muscle imbalance, and sometimes there are more neurological issues such as optic nerve disease.”

Going forward, some of the group's members say they wouldn't mind if next up on the agenda looking into some of the questions as to whether watching too much 3D may be causing problems for your eyes.

In particular, eye specialists think lots of confusion was caused by Nintendo's recent warning concerning kids younger than six using its upcoming 3D handheld, the 3DS.

“People just start saying things which aren't necessarily represented by good scientific fact,” says Dean. “We have to get down to scientific fact so the information is credible and we understand how to make a move forward better.”

In fact, some optometrists at the meeting suggested there's anecdotal evidence 3D technology might be used as a tool to help strengthen the eye to help treat certain conditions. For more on the new consortium and what it's working on, check out 3DEyeHealth.org.