A HAMPSHIRE optician "turned its practice blue" yesterday as part of a national campaign to highlight the risks of potentially harmful light.

Dawkins & Lodge Opticians in Hythe offered free advice on the dangers of blue-violet light – part of the visible light we see which is present in sunlight, and emitted by computers, smartphones, tablet devices and energy-saving lightbulbs.

A survey to mark the campaign – called Think About Your Eyes – found that the average adult in the South East spends over 44 per cent of their waking day staring at a screen, with almost 47 per cent of people taking their first look at a smartphone, tablet device or PC at 7am or earlier.

Nigel Gemmell, principal optician at the practice said: “Most of us are unaware that blue light is subtly emitted from most modern electrical appliances.

“Research tells us that these types of device all send out a form of potentially harmful blue light which can disrupt sleep, affect our mood and, most importantly, damage the cells in the eyes, increasing the likelihood of future eye disease.”