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Hi:

I've always worn eyeglasses and, as I've gotten older, I've had to have bifocals. I am now using the graduated type where the lens changes from top to bottom. The top half is a prescription that is in focus from about two feet to infinity. The bottom half goes rather quickly from two feet to a few inches. This is a problem in reading music.

When I play the trumpet, I can move my entire head (including trumpet) so I can always read the music. With the tuba, my head has to remain stationary and the bottom half of many music pages is blurry to the point that it is difficult to see the lines and spaces to play the correct notes. At my point in development, I can't fake it.

I must not be the only person with this problem and am going to see my optometrist about this. What solutions have others devised? I was thinking of a set of glasses that were all the prescription of the top part of my current glasses. (Then take the metal frames over to Herr Oberloh and have him customize them with little jewel tubas and notes or something. I bet he made some for harold.)

Jeff "It's blurry and, no, I'm *not* stoned" Benedict

I had to wear trifocals in high school and for a few years thereafter. I had a separate pair of glasses made that was just like the middle section of the trifocals - the lower reading section was too close for a music stand set past the tuba and the distance section would not let me see the notes clear enough. These worked perfectly and I got a replacement pair made as my perscription changed every year or two.
Being the 80's, I also had them tinted to take the edge off stage lights. I am not sure I could get away with that now.

When my eyes finally settled down in my early 20's, I only needed the distance lenses and did away with the second pair. As the big 4-0 is gradually creeping near and nearer, I suspect that in a few years i will need to do the same thing all over again.

I use the so-called "Executive" lenses specially-ground where the top 1/3 is corrected for infinity focus and the bottom two-thirds are corrected for about 18 inches. Yes, there's a dividing line, but it's not really noticeable during normal use and you don't have to move your head to see either the music or the guy with the stick.

You may have to argue a bit with the oculist and the prescription may be special-order, but it does the job.

I've worn progressive bifocals for quite awhile. But I too had trouble keeping the notes in focus from left to right as I read across the page of music. So I ordered a second pair of glasses just for reading music -- no bifocal. The conductor was a bit blurry, but I could still see the baton -- but couldn't see the look in his eye if I messed up.

Two years ago I got a pair of exec bifocals made like Chuck(G) uses. I did have to argue some with the Dr. to get him to order the line high enough (up about 2/3). I actually went to the Dr with a music stand so he could get the script right for 2.5 feet - or what ever it was. These work great for me now.

I am nearsighted to the point of being legally blind. I wear 'uni-vision' contact lenses. My right eye is corrected for 'far' and my left eye is corrected for 'near' vision. Seeing music at a distance of 30-36" works fine. Seeing to driving at night is a problem because depth perception is sort of screwy. I wear glasses to drive at night that returns the left eye to 'far' vision. Reading music works great as long as my left eye is clear and not blocked by a tuba bell.

I got a pair of the progressive bifocals a couple of years ago and they were totally useless for reading music while playing tuba as well as for night driving. The "sweet spot" just didn't work for night driving and playing tuba. I hated them.

After trying to get used to them for about 6 months I went back to regular bifocals for every day use and a pair of monovision glasses for reading computer displays and music. My eye doctor was quite receptive to getting the monovision prescription correct for computers and music.

It's a pain to have to remember to bring the extra pair of glasses along, but not as much as not being able to see the music.

lgb&dtuba wrote: After trying to get used to them for about 6 months I went back to regular bifocals for every day use and a pair of monovision glasses for reading computer displays and music. My eye doctor was quite receptive to getting the monovision prescription correct for computers and music.

It's a pain to have to remember to bring the extra pair of glasses along, but not as much as not being able to see the music.

This is my solution, also. I simply carry a hard case for my music glasses in the pocket on the gig bag, alongside my mouthpiece. They never get used for anything else but music, as I have an identical pair just for computer use.

Chuck(G) wrote:I use the so-called "Executive" lenses specially-ground where the top 1/3 is corrected for infinity focus and the bottom two-thirds are corrected for about 18 inches. You may have to argue a bit with the oculist and the prescription may be special-order, but it does the job.

Mine are like these... but without a visible line between the two. I am close to needing another strength for those tiny screws on flutes and clarinets. Oh. bother!

Yep, past a "certain age" the single-vision music glasses are the way to go. The conductor is blurry, but as others have said that is not really a problem

I'm approaching the big 6-0, and one of these days I might have to go to the 2/3 bifocal with the upper third being the distance, but not so far. The music glasses reside in the horn case. Only problem with that is when I play violin.

MA

Chuck(G) wrote:I use the so-called "Executive" lenses specially-ground where the top 1/3 is corrected for infinity focus and the bottom two-thirds are corrected for about 18 inches. Yes, there's a dividing line, but it's not really noticeable during normal use and you don't have to move your head to see either the music or the guy with the stick.

You may have to argue a bit with the oculist and the prescription may be special-order, but it does the job.

That is my solution also. I took a copy of "Stars and Stripes Forever" when I went to my eye doctor, and she understand exactly why progressives were not working.

She noted on the prescription to make the bifocal as high up on the lens as possible, and chose the bifocal "add" value to focus at about arm's length. The only noticeable problem is that I can barely see my cell phone buttons or screen while wearing my music glasses.

I keep the glasses in my canvas carry-bag, along with valve oil, tuner, mouthpieces, clothespins, pencils, and lubricant eye drops.

I use special music glasses, where the whole lens is set up for about three feet. I use similar glasses for working on the computer. I keep them in my case.

Yes, the conductor is blurry. Occasionally, I remind him that some of us are older than he is, and would he please move the stick enough so we can see it. He complies and so far he hasn't run out of arm.

As the difference between the three-foot correction and the infinity correction grows, this may end up not working. But it's the best I can come up with for now.

My bifocals are set up for reading distance (a foot or so) and infinity, but I've reached the point where I need trifocals or progressives.

I do hate the bifocals passionately. I do a lot of work with my hands, often on my back or reaching over my head, and the bifocals are just worthless in those situations. I have on more than one occasion thrown the across the room and had better luck with no glasses at all.

One problem that I have is that when my eyes can't clearly see the same object, they wander away from each other and then I have all sorts of problems. I cannot look out of both eyes and fuse on a single target when looking down, so the bifocals might as well only be in one eye. When I try to read through the lower lenses, I see double and have to block or close one eye. Dan's solution would be a disaster for me. I often have to close one eye when playing the tuba, too, and the resulting scrunch is terrible for my embouchure.

Rick "worried that it's only going to get worse" Denney

Carroll wrote:Mine are like these... but without a visible line between the two. I am close to needing another strength for those tiny screws on flutes and clarinets. Oh. bother!

I'm long past that stage. Fortunately, I keep a selection of these around. When I'm working with the 10 diopter set, I think I do better work than when my eyes were a lot younger:



The problem is that my memory is old too. I get odd looks from store clerks who don't realize that I'd forgotten to take them off. Last week, a neighbor caught me mowing the grass wearing one...

The hazard of getting old! I was accompanying a soloist in
church one Sunday and we were using the same music stand
and copy of music. Rehearsal went well - I could see everything just fine. The service started and we got up to play, standing in the exact same spot where we rehearsed. The first thing the soloist did was to move the music stand further away, effectively making the music totally unreadable with my progressive lens. Arggghhh. Fortunately my memory worked better than my eyes and we got through the song.

I wasted money on my first set of bi-focals. The optometrist said, "Trust me, I've helped many musicians before you." Trumpet players can move their head up and down to see the whole sheet of music. It's tough for us tuba players.
Get a set of cheap frames and a single focus lense set for reading at the music stand distance. This is also about the same as a "Computer reading" lense. You don't need to see the conductor's new manicure to follow the beat. You won't need fancy tinting or other costly add ons for them.
For every day, I wear bifocals that have the line set up so that I can work looking down at my repair bench.

I use the "drug store" type half glasses at 1.75 strength. I can see the whole page of music through them and watch the conductor over the top of them. Works out quite well (except when I forget and leave them at home). Anyone ever try those "opti-grab" glasses? I think you'd have to be a real "jerk" to wear those

I have the progressive bifocals as well, to correct a combination of the big three: myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Without glasses, anything farther than about six inches away blurs into mush. But I'm not considered legally blind, as simple lenses can correct me to 20/15. My bifocals are truly progressive. Top is distance, bottom is reading, and I can see the music in the middle part where the change starts to kick in. Hopefully I'll be able to make these work this way for a long time.

Right after I started needing reading glasses, I did wear toroidal contact lenses supplemented with dime store reading glasses for awhile. That worked great, I just got tired of the doubling up for everything. But I might try it again, and then I'd have three pairs: the contacts to correct for astigmatism and distance vision, a pair of reading glasses, and a pair of intermediates (weaker "reading" glasses) to see the music on the stand. Then again, I'll stick with what I have for the time being.

A year ago I finally got a pair of single lens glasses optimized for a two-foot distance, and found them useful for not only music and computers, but as good all-round indoor and gardening specs. Now I store my bifocals in the car and only use them for driving and such.

So, do you folks who have had cataract surgery or glaucoma or macular degeneration side with Joe's pronouncement that

Bloke wrote:Bifocals and trifocals are gimmicks that a few people can actually use and many others simply tolerate.

I play with people who have all of the above. Of course I'm no saint either--my corrected vision is 20/50 on a good day. How about you?

Me, I'll take whatever help I can get.

I bought a new pair of glasses when I arrived here. My progressive trifocals which would have been over 200 bucks in the States were a mere 1,200,000 dong (roughly about 75 bucks). The quality is just as good as the pair I broke on the airplane coming over (except that they're not broken!)

Chuck(G) wrote:I use the so-called "Executive" lenses specially-ground where the top 1/3 is corrected for infinity focus and the bottom two-thirds are corrected for about 18 inches. Yes, there's a dividing line, but it's not really noticeable during normal use and you don't have to move your head to see either the music or the guy with the stick.

You may have to argue a bit with the oculist and the prescription may be special-order, but it does the job.

I also took this route. The Optometrist didn't wanna make 'em, but I insisted. They work great and I love the larger field of magnification. When I glance up...I can see the other players and the audience through the small, top, single vision, "far-away" part with good clarity.