London, Nov 5 (IANS): The British spend an average of 11 hours a day looking at screens, reveals a new survey, stressing on its detrimental effects on the eyesight - reduced blink rate and tear evaporation.

People are spending an increasing number of hours staring into their computer, mobile, TV, tablet and e-reader screens, indicates the survey, conducted on over 2,000 British people by Spectrum Thea eye care specialists, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The respondents were aged between 16 and 24.

Over half of the respondents, 54.4 percent of people polled to be precise, agreed that they had suffered from symptoms associated with conditions like Dry Eye and Blepharitis.

They said that in a week they only spend 12 hours 58 minutes in quality time with their families, 10 hours and 16 minutes looking at their partner and a meagre 5 hours 44 minutes walking around outdoors.

According to the research, an increased concentration on reading, playing computer games and watching videos can reduce a person's blink rate by a third. This reduced blinking can lead to a higher rate of tear evaporation, which can result in dry eye syndrome and further complications.

"The sheer amount that people are now spending looking at screens is worryingly high," said Sarah Farrant, dry eye specialist and partner at Earlam and Christopher Optometrists, Taunton.

"While many people may not think the symptoms associated with these common eye complaints are serious, if left untreated, these conditions can become chronic and, in some cases, can lead to permanent damage to your eyes," Farrant added.

The survey was commissioned to help raise awareness of the effect of modern lives on eyes.