Barista course at The Barracks
With many Kiwis glued to screens more than usual, Whanganui optometrist Ian Russell warns that spending more time staring at screens is causing a surge in digital eye strain.
Research from Specsavers conducted pre-lockdown shows that Kiwi workers were already experiencing symptoms in relation to digital eye strain due to screen-based lifestyles.
With most spending increased time indoors, working, studying and socialising on screens recently, people can expect to experience even more symptoms.
“We’re getting a lot more people coming in saying they’ve got eye fatigue from looking at screens for a long time,” says Ian.
“It’s not natural to look at one spot for a number of hours at a time: it’s more natural to look at different things.”
He says in a classroom environment, while students may look at a screen for some of the time, they are generally looking up and around at things at different distances.
“If people had a prescription, a minor one that wasn’t affecting them much day to day, suddenly chuck yourself on to a screen for a number of hours and that becomes more pronounced.
“Computers aren’t responsible for creating a need for glasses ... but if you have a prescription it’s going to become more noticeable.”
Screen time is not damaging but it can exacerbate an existing condition. With people working from home and more online work for students, Ian says it’s important that people are comfortable doing it.
“We’re seeing reduced comfort from spending hours looking at a computer screen.
“There’s the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, give your eyes a 20 second break looking at something 20 metres away. For young people it’s important to get out to natural daylight. Spending all day inside looking at a device has strong implications for developing problems.
Eye strain can cause headaches, squinting, tiredness and eye dryness.
“People tend to blink less when they’re staring at a screen.”
The Ammo Room at The Barracks in St Hill St was the venue for more than 20 local secondary school students to learn the intricacies of being a barista.
Aromas of coffee and hot chocolate arose from four Italian coffee machines as some worked at the nozzles and taps and others concentrated on paperwork at tables.
Whanganui Collegiate, Whanganui Girls College and Whanganui High School were part of a session run by Palmerston North-based Industry Training Solutions (ITS).
Principals David and Poppy Clapperton were there with tutors Tracey Jarman and Darryn Taylor.
“We have a range of products we teach in high schools: coffee is one of them,” says Poppy. “Others are leadership, communication, workready skills ...
“Barista 101 is all about the history of coffee, how the beans grow and all those things, and then how to make the basics well, under supervision but not under pressure. This is an introductory course, but by the time they leave here they’re not afraid of a machine.”
As each student makes their latte, mocha, hot chocolate, flat white or whatever, in crockery or a takeaway cup, the finished effort is put in front of David for analysis, judgment and comment. One superbly made hot chocolate, made only with milk – no water – was donated to this Midweek reporter. “This is day two,” says Poppy. “Yesterday at 9am these students arrived, some had never touched a machine. Now what they can do is really quite remarkable. Employers don’t have time to teach them these basic skills.”
The paperwork is NZQA Unit Standards – students get seven credits for the two days’ work.
“There are four girls here who already work in cafes,” says David. “They’re here to fine tune their skills.”
“They don’t have to become baristas, but they know they can be,” says Poppy.
“It’s wonderful to be able to use this venue. We want to be able to do a lot of courses over here.”