Bifocals and Note Reading

[PaulT]

I have progressive (no-line) bifocals. Have had them for years and like them. But, sometimes, between my horn position, head position and stand position, I don't get the music sheet dialed in and a C looks like D or visa versa (the print size of the staff is a factor in this). It doesn't happen often, but it happened the other day when I was playing duets with my instructor and what looked right sounded wrong a couple times. I re-positioned the stand to my advantage (rather than his) and that took care of it. But, when it happens, it is a bugger ...

and it has occurred to me that I may not be the only trombone player who is occasionally aggravated by the persnicketiness of bifocals. Any coping methods that have served well? Larger or re-positioned bifocal? Tri-focals? Dedicated sheet music glasses? Or just take care every time music is placed and stand is adjusted (I do like to hold my horn up and play out rather than down)

[pbone3b]

Subscribe.
(I fight with it all the time)

[timothy42b]

I could never make bifocals work well enough. After struggling, and considering just giving up playing, I got single vision music glasses, focused for the distance of the stand. It made a world of difference. Of course the conductor was blurry but that's a small price to pay.

Then my vision deteriorated further and the music glasses stopped working. I had cataract surgery, and am using a pair of readers from the dollar store, and seeing the music better than in probably 20 years. Conductor is still blurry but I can't get too excited about that.

[sf105]

I also work a lot on computers, so I have a pair of what used to be called "music glasses"-fixed distance at about arms length--which are now known as "computer glasses". When I occasionally forget them, playing with varifocals is a nightmare.

[Kingfan]

I have the same problem with my progressive bifocals. I had my eye doc write out a prescription for single vision glasses, focused about music stand distance. Just got my new pair using a Groupon for $50 including frames and scratch resistant coating. Works great! That the music is sharp and the director is a bit fuzzy is a win-win in my opinion...

[KCinAZ]

I have computer glasses as well. Their main viewing distance is arm's length. But they are also progressives in that the very top is a strip of far vision. They are called "Tact" lenses made by Hoya. http://hoyalensofamerica.com/newmedia/tact Perfect for music and for working on the computer. The main field of view is much larger than regular progressives. I can see the width of a page of music, and only need to shift a little up and down for a page. With regular progressives I have to continually shift to get the right spot. These make it much better. They come in 2 versions with different areas for the task distance. I got the ones with the larger area for arm's length viewing.

[sacfxdx]

I also work a lot on computers, so I have a pair of what used to be called "music glasses"-fixed distance at about arms length--which are now known as "computer glasses". When I occasionally forget them, playing with varifocals is a nightmare.

My experience exactly.

[JohnL]

I use a set of single-vision glasses for music. I do fine on computers with my progressives.

There is a style of bifocal where the upper(distance) portion of the lens is small. A pair of those where the lower section was tailored for music distance would be ideal.

[PaulT]

BINGO! THANKS!

I just got off the phone with my optometrist and will be dropping off a frame to get some music/computer lenses with a fat, wide progressive focal zone centered at about arms length. He said they will work with me until they get it just the way I want it.

[Doug Elliott]

I will definitely be looking into the "Tact" lenses made by Hoya. Thanks for that, I had not heard of them.

[ghmerrill]

Before I got my eyes fixed (IOL implants -- AKA "cataract surgery"), I used three pairs of glasses: bifocals, "arms-length" single prescription (for music, comptuer, etc.), and single prescription "outdoor"/"athletic glasses. It covered all the bases and nothing else worked for me. It was fairly expensive (3x the cost of one pair, roughly), but the single prescription sets seemed to last for longer than the bifocal prescriptions. And it was at least mildly irritating to be switching the bifocals with the arms-length glasses for (some) reading vs. computer screen. It was also VERY irritating to have sweat dripping all over my glasses while working outdoors in the southern heat. That's no longer a problem.

[StephenK]

An optician can prescribe glasses with single vision lenses set up to focus at the distance of your music stand. You can even take a stand to make sure the distance is correct. I've three pairs to go in different instrument cases I use; they are fairly cheap to buy on line. Varifocal lenses vary quite a bit in how well you can read music; single vision lenses are a simple solution.

[KRRath]

You'll love the music glasses prescription. I have progressives as well and had difficulty reading at music stand distance. Both optometrists at my clinic are musicians (trumpet and clarinet) and actually had some sheet music for me to read during my eye test.

On the downside, I can no longer blame my eyes for my reading mistakes.

[PaulT]

A follow up on my adventures in this regard:

My first attempt was with a pair of what my optometry shop called "Work Station" glasses (marketed for computer users). They were progressive bifocals set at one half my normal reading glass prescription (to move the center focus out to 28"). The bifocal portion of the lens was large and centered. They worked better than my regular glasses (with regular 'progressive/vari focal' bifocals). But, they weren't as good as I hoped or expected. There was still an in and out of focus sensation.

So, I decided to try set of single vision lenses, again with a focus primed at 28". And, for me, they proved to be the ticket. For me, they worked much,much better than the work station progressives (and they were much much cheaper). The notes are clear and I have no sense of the music going in and out of focus. Music stand placement doesn't seem to be critical. It's fine at 28", its also fine at 24" and 32". The conductor is a tad fuzzy around the edges, but seeing him, his baton, or the clock on the wall, is not an issue. I quickly get used to wearing them and sometimes even leave rehearsal still wearing them (I don't get that far without realizing something is amiss, but I can navigate about a building without breaking anything).

I am very happy with them and have picked up a second pair.

[Gary]

FWIW, after the fact but might help someone else -

I had bifocals made, but the lower half were not for book reading but configured so that I could read the music at its distance, while the upper halves were set at the distance-configuration to see the conductor in focus, as well.

Of course, if one doesn't want to watch the conductor, the upper configuration isn't necessary.

[dfeheley]

I’ve had the same problem with my progressive Lenard’s on a whim, I went to the drug store and bought a pair of readers. 2.50 works really well for me !

[Schlitz]

.

[norbie2018]

I too find it difficult to read all the notes on the page with my progressive glasses. I've been experimenting with the position of my stand desk because I've noticed I put my slide under the stand and this messes with my posture. I've turned the desk to the left, so the left side of a piece of Music is a bit farther away than the right side. This allows good playing posture and seems to allow me to use the progressives without issue.

[Jimprindle]

I got music glasses about 20 years ago. I took a music stand and music to my optometrists office and he had great fun using the old click and fit lenses (rather than the computerized stuff). It worked great for all my pro work, but now that I am retired I prefer putting my bifocals in my pocket, bringing the music stand closer and letting the arm waver in front be a blur.

[ddsbstrb]

Ever since my vision went "south", probably in my late 40's or early 50's, I have been wearing glasses. I started with just readers, then to "flat-top" bi-focal's, and currently no-lines progressives. Once I got into the bi-focal's, I couldn't get them to work on trombone. I started first, with single vision drugstore glasses or computer glasses. About 10 years ago, I needed a slightly different reading lens-power in each eye, which ended the computer glasses.

I, like Jim P, took my bass trombone and a music stand to my eye exam and has my optometrist create a proper prescription. I never trusted myself with just one pair to share between my bass trombone and my tuba. After a couple of occasions where my music readers ended up in the case I didn't have on a gig, I ordered another pair. My bass bone mute bag has a set of readers; as, does my tuba accessory bag!

[Gary]

Wittenberg . . isn't that where Martin Luther . . oh, never mind.

This question has been resolved, but for anyone still opening this up looking for a solution, I got bifocals. (I wear trifocals but the close-up reading lens is superfluous.) The lenses are configured for instrument playing, with the top half set at the conventional setting but the bottom half, set for music-stand distance.

So, the top half is set at the normal distance configuration so I can see the conductor without a blurred vision like I would have when using a single lens, or having to look over the top of the glasses, a pain. And, like I said, the bottom half is set for music reading from the stand. In that case, you can either measure the distance yourself, like I did, or you can get more specific and have your eye doctor do the measuring.