Oakley Intros 'Optically Correct' 3D Glasses

Oakley Gascan 3D Glasses

Athletic eyewear and watch maker Oakley has introduced "the world's first optically correct 3D glasses," the Oakley 3D Gascan, the company said Monday.

The Gascan glasses are made with the company's proprietary High Definition Optics-3D (HDO-3D) technologies and will complement and optimize the technology used in most 3D theaters globally, the Orange County, Calif.-based company said.

"No one has ever engineered optically correct 3D glasses," said Oakley CEO Colin Baden, in a statement. "We collaborated with industry partners and utilized the DreamWorks facility for testing." The Oakley 3D Gascan glasses provide "unparalleled visual clarity while extending the wearer's peripheral viewing angle and providing truer alignment of 3D images," and set "a new standard for 3D," Baden said.

The term "optically correct," does not refer to prescription correction, but to what Oakley said are deficiencies in some glasses, including refractive power, optical astigmatism, and prismatic power. Those deficiencies are addressed in a variant of Oakley's HDO-3D technology, the company said, allowing them to offer the first-ever optically correct 3D glasses.

A potential problem with inferior 3D glasses, according to Oakley, is the ghosting or "crosstalk" between images that reach each eye from one moment to the next. The HDO-3D technology eliminates that issue, along with lens curvature, which can also be a factor with conventional 3D glasses, Oakley claimed. "Greater curvature around the eyes provides a wider field of view, but without highly precise optics, even a mild curve can cause visual distortion,'' Oakley said. The wearer will experience a wide field of vision with the optical clarity the Oakley technology provides, the company maintained. There is also minimal distractive glare with the curvature of the Oakley 3D lenses.

The Oakley 3D Gascan glasses were designed to create an enhanced experience in cinemas by utilizing the technology most 3D theaters use, known as passive polarization. The company said it's hoping to partner with manufacturers of home 3D systems to leverage the technology so consumers can wear the same glasses for both home and cinema 3D experiences. The 3D glasses are not meant to be worn outdoors since they don't provide the same protection as sunglasses, Oakley said.

The Gascan glasses will be released this month in two frame finishes, polished black or polished white. They will be available for $120 at select Sunglass Hut locations, Oakley stores, and at Zappos.com.