LONDON, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's digitalized world, screens and digital devices are everywhere (even toilets aren't safe!). Research by home insurance company Esure revealed that in Britain, the average person spends more time looking at screens – just under 12 hours – than sleeping – just over seven hours.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121115/PH13683-INFO )

This exposure may be affecting you more than you think. Less than one in five adults have even heard of the potential issue, though – digital eyestrain. You may think that it will only affect those working in front of a computer all day, but this is not the case – anyone in front of a digital screen, including smartphones and tablets, can suffer.

Online contact lens retailer GetLenses.co.uk has produced this informative infographic on digital eyestrain; looking at what it is, its causes, symptoms, results and solutions.

As the drops fall from the eye illustration, viewers are led on a journey into the interlinking stages of the problem. They will learn that over-use of digital devices leads the eyes to struggle with the constant need to refocus and reposition to process content like graphics and text. Viewers will also see how digital eyestrain - or Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) to give its medical name – can lead to headaches, redness and irritation of the eyes, blurred vision, back and neck pain and dryness of the eyes. General fatigue can also occur from staring at screens and straining to see small fonts and images.

Another problem highlighted comes with the simple task of blinking – or not blinking, as the case may be. Obviously, you blink because it keeps your eyes moisturized, with the average person doing so around 18 times per minute. When looking at a computer or other digital device, though, this number is halved.

With smartphones, tablets and other digital devices being used more and more, and from a younger age, this is an issue that appears unlikely to be diminishing any time soon. The infographic reveals that children aged between 8 and 18 are now exposed to 17.5 more hours each week of digital media today than they were in the 1990s, for example.

It's not all doom and gloom, however. The main recommended solution to the problem is '20-20-20'. Basically, for every 20 minutes you spend on a digital device, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away from you. Easy, eh?!

Other possible ways of alleviating the problem include good hydration, and certain food. And yes, carrots really do help your eyes, so eat up, kids!

GetLenses.co.uk Press Contact:
Name: Lindsey Robbins
Email: Lindsey.Robins@getoptics.com
Phone: 020 8099 8272

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE GetLenses.co.uk