Special Glasses for Musicians
Can You See Me Now?
Is it literally a pain in the neck for you to read music? You may be like many adults that wear bifocals, which aren’t ideal for reading music.
“The problem with conventional bifocals is that they are focused for only two distances—far vision in the top, and reading vision in the bottom, typically about 16 inches. This is usually too close for musicians,” says Dr. Myron Wasiuta of Access Eye Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
One solution, he says, is trifocals, but the middle lenses on trifocals are so small that they are sometimes hard to use. Another drawback is that people often don’t like the look of the lines on their glasses. Progressive lenses (lineless “bifocals”) have areas for intermediate vision, but these are also rather small. But there is a solution.
“Single vision music glasses solve these problems by providing clear vision at the right distance, with a wide field of view,” he says.
These glasses are ground for mid-range viewing, the point where your music is located. For the violin, that’s about 20 inches, but mid-range may be different for you and your particular instrument.
These specifically designed glasses let you view your music through the whole lens. If you normally wear bifocals or progressive lenses, this means no more squinting or tilting your head up to see whether it’s an eighth or a sixteenth note. Some people like to use these mid-range glasses for computer work, as well, because doing so reduces neck pain.
Sure, it means changing glasses when you play, but it is worth the effort. If you see better, you’ll play better.
