Magic Eye

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Magic Eye is a series of books published by N.E. Thing Enterprises (Renamed in 1996 to Magic Eye Inc.). The books feature autostereograms, which allow people to see 3D images by focusing on 2D patterns. The viewer must diverge his or her eyes in order to see a hidden three-dimensional image within the pattern. "Magic Eye" has become somewhat of a genericized trademark, often used to refer to autostereograms of any origin.

The autostereogram predates the Magic Eye series by several years. Christopher Tyler created the first autostereograms in 1979. The first Magic Eye book, Magic Eye: the 3D Guide was released in 1993. It was soon followed by sequels which were also extremely popular, and the three books spent a total of 34 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. Several other books and videos have been released since then, and Magic Eye stereograms have been featured on postcards, mousepads, lunch boxes, and even neckties. Magic Eye stereograms are also featured in a comic syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate which appears weekly in many newspapers around the world and features a stereogram with a hidden image for readers to discover.

The Magic Eye images have a horizontally repeating pattern which differs slightly with each repetition, therefore giving the illusion of depth when each eye focuses on a different part of the pattern. The stereograms were created using a patented process that allows colorful patterns to be used in creating the final images.

Magic Eye images have also been used by children and adults for science and other purposes. Magic Eye stereograms are frequently used by orthoptists and vision therapists in the treatment of many binocular vision and accommodative disorders [1]. Many people cannot see Magic Eye images due to one eye being significantly dominant over the other.

[edit] Popular culture

"Magic Eye" images are commonly portrayed as frustrating.

  • The product appeared in an episode Seinfeld. Cosmo Kramer bought a Magic Eye poster, and Mr. Pitt spent his week trying to see the hidden the image. In the process, he missed several business meetings. At the episode's end, George was so transfixed by the poster that he forgot to put his shirt back before getting out of the bathroom.
  • In the movie Mallrats, the character Willam Black (played by Ethan Suplee) is unable to see a Magic Eye poster's hidden image. However, nearly every character claims they can, and say the image is a sailboat.
  • In an Episode of Ellen, it is revealed that Ellen "can't Magic Eye". She is ashamed and tries to hide her secret.

[edit] External links