The lens directs slightly different portions of the interlaced image to each eye, allowing the viewer to perceive depth or motion as they change their viewing angle.

When viewed through corresponding colored glasses, each eye sees only one of the images, and the brain combines them to perceive depth. Unlike the older red/cyan anaglyphs, modern color anaglyphs often use more sophisticated color palettes to preserve more of the original image’s color information, resulting in a more comfortable and less jarring viewing experience.

It consists of a barrier layer (typically with slits or slots) placed in front of an image display, like an LCD screen. This barrier selectively blocks light from different parts of the image, directing slightly different views to each eye. These differing views are then interpreted by the brain as a 3D image.