# Lifestyles & Discussion > Science & Technology >  Why Can't Some People See Magic Eye Pictures?

## Suzanimal

I hate these damn things. I've never been able to see the hidden picture. Mr Animal bought me a book of them for Christmas a few years back just to mess with my head.  And no, I'm not cross eyed or wall eyed. 

What the hell is this suppose to be?







> When we discussed how Magic Eye pictures work, a lot of people commented about how they can never see the hidden image. So what gives? Is there something wrong with these people's eyes? Are they cursed? Are there really no hidden pictures? Is this all a hoax?
> 
> Most Magic Eye problems have to do with the way the eyes work with each other and the brain. To view 3D stereo images, your peepers have to work together as a coordinated team. If they're not pulling together, you're going to have some glitches in your binocular (two-eyed) vision or stereo vision (where the two slightly different views from your eyes are combined in the brain). A number of things can cause binocular and stereo vision impairment  most commonly, deviations or misalignments of one or both eyes ("crossed eyes" or "wall eyes"), situations where one eye is dominant because visual stimulation either transmits poorly or not at all from the other, astigmatism or cataracts. If you think you have an eye problem, go see an eye doctor who can test and treat your stereo vision.
> 
> If your eyes are fine, then your Magic Eye problems could just be a matter of technique. The makers of Magic Eye offer this advice:
> 
> Hold the center of the printed image right up to your nose. It should be blurry. Focus as though you are looking through the image into the distance. Very slowly move the image away from your face until the two squares above the image turn into three squares. If you see four squares, move the image farther away from your face until you see three squares. If you see one or two squares, start over!
> 
> When you clearly see three squares, hold the page still, and the hidden image will magically appear. Once you perceive the hidden image and depth, you can look around the entire 3D image. The longer you look, the clearer the illusion becomes. The farther away you hold the page, the deeper it becomes. Good Luck!


http://mentalfloss.com/article/29771...c-eye-pictures

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## specsaregood

> Mr Animal bought me a book of them for Christmas a few years back just to mess with my head.


That right there is master class trolling; I am impressed.

I hate those things; never have been able to see them and more likely to burn them up than try again.

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## dannno

They are hard for me to see also, but I can usually get it to work. 

The best trick I've found is putting them behind a piece of glass - or in a picture frame - then look at the reflection "past" the image, your eyes have to be focused beyond the image. Eventually it will pull out.

edit: looks like I'm better than I used to be, I got that one to work in the OP pretty quick. 

It looks like 3 vertical columns. Not incredibly interesting.

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## acptulsa

> They are hard for me to see also, but I can usually get it to work. 
> 
> The best trick I've found is putting them behind a piece of glass - or in a picture frame - then look at the reflection "past" the image, your eyes have to be focused beyond the image. Eventually it will pull out.


A better method to do the same thing than the 'try to focus as though it's in the distance' advice they give.

You cannot see it unless you stop focusing on the details of the pattern and look past it as though looking at something beyond a window pane.  It only works if your eyes think it's either closer or farther away than it is (depending on which way the artist did it).  It's kind of like when you look past your finger, and it looks like you're holding up two transparent fingers.  You want to forget any pattern in the colors and look for a shape pattern to focus on.

I don't know if understanding this intellectually helps you actually do it or not.  But looking at a reflection on the screen is indeed a hot tip.

And it isn't anything, Suz.  It's just pleats, sort of, or ruffles maybe.  It looks like hanging drapes.

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## euphemia

I can see them.  The one above is not three squares.  It's like looking down on an accordian fold.  There are three peaks.

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## presence

move face to about 10" from screen.  adjust focus so you see 3 dots; one red/blue in the middle

sine waves should "cancel out" 

hold this focus and look at image; it will then appear like corrugated roofing w/ frequency as sine shown

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## fisharmor

The one you posted isn't very easy, either.  Some are easier to resolve than others, and it does help if your brain can figure out what it's supposed to be seeing.  It took me a couple minutes to see the accordion fold because why would I think to look for that?

Start with an easier one.  *Don't tell her what this is everyone, let her figure it out. * 



Look at the picture and don't move your eyes around.
Let your focus go beyond the screen.  If it helps, focus on something farther away, then don't refocus your eyes when you look at the pic.
Just sit there with your eyes focused distant like that for a few seconds.  Don't let your eyes dart around looking for something, just chill.
After a few seconds stuff will start to jump out.  It won't look like anything yet - it'll just seem like bits of the picture are standing out from the rest.  Think about the way things look in a 3d movie through those glasses: you'll see bits standing out the same way.
At that point you can let your eyes move a little, the way you'd look at a picture normally.  You probably don't realize you do this normally - try looking at a random picture and focus on what your eyes are doing.  You're not just sitting there chiling, you're moving your eyes around: that's what's important.  For the first 10 seconds, DON'T do that, and when stuff starts to jump out, DO that.

Then let us know what you see.

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## fisharmor

By the way, the fancy word for this is "autostereogram".

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## presence

> I hate these damn things. I've never been able to see the hidden picture.


try using two pennies; adjust focus until you see three;  hold focus so you see three.... then adjust the spacing of the pennies until the image appears;

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## Suzanimal

> move face to about 10" from screen.  adjust focus so you see 3 dots; one red/blue in the middle
> 
> sine waves should "cancel out" 
> 
> hold this focus and look at image; it will then appear like corrugated roofing w/ frequency as sine shown


I couldn't the third dot to appear.




> The one you posted isn't very easy, either.  Some are easier to resolve than others, and it does help if your brain can figure out what it's supposed to be seeing.  It took me a couple minutes to see the accordion fold because why would I think to look for that?
> 
> Start with an easier one.  *Don't tell her what this is everyone, let her figure it out. * 
> 
> 
> 
> Look at the picture and don't move your eyes around.
> Let your focus go beyond the screen.  If it helps, focus on something farther away, then don't refocus your eyes when you look at the pic.
> Just sit there with your eyes focused distant like that for a few seconds.  Don't let your eyes dart around looking for something, just chill.
> ...


Penises?

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## heavenlyboy34

It's easier to do these with the printed Magic Eye books.  And even at that I can't see some of them. :/

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## presence

> Penises?

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## fisharmor

> It took me a couple minutes to see the accordion fold because *why would I think to look for that?*







> Penises?


LOL.... No, there's a definite picture there... I can see how you would get cocks out of that (never saw it before in the last 22 years since I saw this one first) but that's not what we're shooting for.

The dicks are all 2d.  If you can still make them out you're not distant-focusing properly.

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## fisharmor

Those purple dots actually do help.  First you need to practice looking *through* the picture.  Then you can work on getting three purple dots, and then it'll happen.
Never used that method before, but it works.

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## Ronin Truth

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...27.BmPkf_6_m50

You may just be trying too hard. Relax, deep breath, soften your gaze (kinda squint), adjust the the picture to almost horizontal just below your line of sight. (Try going just very slightly cross-eyed, sometimes helps) Adjust until at last it just kinda goes POP! Some pix are better, simpler and easier to see than others.

Practice and good luck.

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## Suzanimal

> [/COLOR]
> 
> 
> 
> LOL.... No, there's a definite picture there... I can see how you would get cocks out of that (never saw it before in the last 22 years since I saw this one first) but that's not what we're shooting for.
> 
> The dicks are all 2d.  If you can still make them out you're not distant-focusing properly.


Is it penis shaped? Cuz that's all I got - except in presence's pic. I'm getting boobies in that one.

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## euphemia

> Then let us know what you see.


It's either a catfish or a shark.

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## fisharmor

> Is it penis shaped? Cuz that's all I got - except in presence's pic. I'm getting boobies in that one.


I envy your husband.

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## FunkBuddha

> I couldn't the third dot to appear.
> 
> 
> 
> Penises?


Hmm. I saw breasts.

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## dannno

> It's either a catfish or a shark.


It's a shark.

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## dannno

> I envy your husband.


+rep

With all the new information she has provided us lately, I'm thinking about taking a infrared camera to the clubs and finding the girls with the highest temperature vah jay jays.

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## Suzanimal

> Penises?






> It's a shark.


I was close, just couldn't make out the details. I guess I mistook the caudal fin for the balls.

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## Sam I am

> I hate these damn things. I've never been able to see the hidden picture. Mr Animal bought me a book of them for Christmas a few years back just to mess with my head.  And no, I'm not cross eyed or wall eyed. 
> 
> What the hell is this suppose to be?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://mentalfloss.com/article/29771...c-eye-pictures



It actually took me some practice before I could see the hidden eye pictures.

For this one, I had to zoom in until the picture took up most of my screen, and then I crossed my eyes until my eyes felt focused, even though they were still crossed.

What I saw looked like triangular columns or ridges coming out of the picture.

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## presence

This one should be very easy Suz.  Adjust your focus until you see 4 pink spots.

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## VIDEODROME

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CkvMTppmo_E

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## Sam I am

> This one should be very easy Suz.  Adjust your focus until you see 4 pink spots.


This one is a bad example.  You can see the image when it's in 2-d.  that is, unless there's some other image that I'm not aware of.

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## fisharmor

> This one should be very easy Suz.  Adjust your focus until you see 4 pink spots.


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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## dannno

> I was close, just couldn't make out the details. I guess I mistook the caudal fin for the balls.


It's tricky, but if you can get it in to focus, and relax your eyes will keeping the picture in focus, you can stay in 3D mode and look around. Sometimes that causes you to lose it tho.

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## Suzanimal

> This one should be very easy Suz.  Adjust your focus until you see 4 pink spots.


LOL! I got it now.

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## dannno

Maybe you can't see them because your vah jay jay is overheated? Have you tried adding cold, distilled water?

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## Zippyjuan

The harder you try to see these things the harder it is to actually see them.  Do a completely relaxed stare- not trying to focus on anything. Get your face right up to the screen and keeping your eyes "blank stare" relaxed, slowly move your head away.

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## acptulsa

The whole idea is not to look at the same spot on the screen with both eyes.

When you look at a bird outside a window, you can't see your reflection on the window.  These are designed to fool your binocular vision.  You want to look beyond the screen.  That's why you look at a reflection.  Looking at a reflection causes you to look at a different spot on the screen with each eye.  But don't focus on the reflection so hard you can make out details.  Instead, look for 3-D effects, and when you catch some, relax and go with it.

Go back to the first one.  Shine a light on the side of your face, sit a couple of feet from your screen, and look vaguely at your reflection.  When you catch a little wrinkle in the background, just relax (don't move your head) and think to yourself, _Let there be ugly green curtains!_

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## Anti Federalist

> Start with an easier one. Don't tell her what this is everyone, let her figure it out.





> Penises?






For the record: I hate those $#@!ing "Magic Eye" things as well.

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## amy31416

Crossing my eyes and relaxing a bit has worked for me while trying to decipher this stuff.

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## specsaregood

> Crossing my eyes and relaxing a bit has worked for me while trying to decipher this stuff.


I can now confirm that torching one of these stupid things does NOT help in seeing the hidden image.

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## Dr.3D

> Crossing my eyes and relaxing a bit has worked for me while trying to decipher this stuff.





> I can now confirm that torching one of these stupid things does NOT help in seeing the hidden image.


Maybe a few shots of bourbon would help.  I can get pretty cross eyed that way.

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## Zippyjuan

Try this one. 


http://giphy.com/gifs/magic-eye-2FayWIH1xrdlT2wx2

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## dannno

> Try this one. 
> 
> 
> http://giphy.com/gifs/magic-eye-2FayWIH1xrdlT2wx2


Wow, a bunch of spinning balls, Suz should like this one

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## Suzanimal

> Wow, a bunch of spinning balls, Suz should like this one


I like the penis one better and cooling off my vajayjay didn't help but thanks of the suggestion.

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## GunnyFreedom

> I hate these damn things. I've never been able to see the hidden picture. Mr Animal bought me a book of them for Christmas a few years back just to mess with my head.  And no, I'm not cross eyed or wall eyed. 
> 
> What the hell is this suppose to be?
> 
> http://mentalfloss.com/article/29771...c-eye-pictures


That one is just three vertical waves.

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## GunnyFreedom

These things are always inverted for me.  I see them crossing my eyes not spreading them out; so the shark was inset not outset.

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## newbitech

To get the magic eye, your focal point has to be at some point beyond the surface of the image.  It takes practice, but everyone can and does do this all the time when they are driving for instance.  One way to practice this is to hold up a finger on each hand.  Hold one finger all the way out as far as you can reach.  Hold the other about half way between your face and your other finger.  Then just look at the far finger and look at the close finger.  See how fast you can go back and forth with your focus.  Make sure to keep both fingers in a straight line for best practice.  

Also, here is a quick image where I explain the way your focus has to be to make this work.  Going crossed doesn't help.  It's not that your eyes cross, your eyes actually do the opposite of crossing. 

If you try to look at the image to see what it is, it will never work, you have to let your peripheral vision detect the image.  Once you do see it, then your eyes can automatically sharpen the focus, once you've practiced the technique and you can look all around the image.

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