crazy eyewear

**dawn** · 03-14-2002, 07:19 PM

Is there anyone out there that has ever made eyewear for the specific purpose of playing an instrument in an orchestra?

Need to know what you would suggest.

thanks dawn

**Joann Raytar** · 03-14-2002, 07:45 PM

We've had a conductor. Although she was not part of an orchestra, we also had a piano teacher.

The piano teacher we fit with Access because she liked her regular progressives for everyday use but they didn't work well when trying to look back and forth from her student to the sheet music.

The conductor we fit with an Executive bifocal distance over intermediate. He viewed the sheet music quickly and at weird angles so he needed a wide reading area.

**chip anderson** · 03-14-2002, 08:05 PM

When doing this, have the patient go home and arrange the instrument, themselves and thier music as though they would be playing it. Then have a third party measure the distance from eye to music. Calculate focal length for this! Especially for piano players, you can't please them any other way.

Chip

**sarahr** · 03-14-2002, 08:06 PM

Agree with Jo. You would generally find that when playing in the orchestra the required vision would be music distance which would need to be measured in order to accurately calculate the add required and distance vision to look at the conductor. Depending on which instrument they play, and therefore where they sit in an orchestra set-up, will determine at which angle they would view the conductor. In any case the conductor will be viewed probably through the top 1/3 of the lens as for most instrumentalists the head would not be moved but a fleeting glance taken. I would say probably a dist/inter bif or occupational progressive if in the string section! ( more likely to be sitting within 3m of the conductor).Good Luck!

**Joann Raytar** · 03-14-2002, 08:35 PM

Chip's idea is a good one. That way there is very little "guestimating."

sarahr,

Either you have been to a great many concerts or you have fit many professional musicians.

**sarahr** · 03-15-2002, 05:10 AM

Jo, I'm a D.O who plays in an orchestra and wears specs!:)

**Joann Raytar** · 03-15-2002, 08:22 AM

I think that makes you our resident specialist on the topic then. :)

How do you find the time? Or does time not matter when it comes to your music? How wonderful that you are able to be a part of an art that brings so much to people.

**sarahr** · 03-15-2002, 11:12 AM

Time? What's that?! Don't play as often as I would like now as young family but they like to join in ( in their own special way!).

**Jedi** · 03-15-2002, 02:02 PM

Can't remember if I read it here or if someone told me but the jist of the solution was,
One lens was sv vision and the other lense was a large flat top bi-focal rotated 90 degrees towards the temple. The patient was facing the sheet music parallel to her head at angle, the bifocal was in the eye that was closest to the sheet music, the power was distance over intermediate. The lab generated the lens by blocking it 90 off then surfacing it. I would suppose it would look pretty strange but it worked.

**JERRY HUANG** · 03-20-2002, 09:20 PM

What is music eyewear?

Please tell me more. It sounds very interesting!

**Judy Canty** · 03-21-2002, 10:30 AM

I'm a musician also and my progressives work just fine. The stand is at about arm's length and lower than a computer terminal so the intermediate is certainly adequate. The reality is that what instrument is played and where they sit/stand is also important. I am an oboist and sit pretty much to the center or slightly to the conductors right behind the violas when in an orchestra. In a symphonic band I should be on the conductors right in the first or second row of players. Anyway, my progressives work just fine at this point...

**JERRY HUANG** · 03-21-2002, 05:37 PM

Judy,

What is the best A, B, and ED measurement for music eyewear?
How about the frame color? I would love to design a collection for musicians. Thanks in advance.

Jerry

**harry a saake** · 03-21-2002, 09:34 PM

:idea: Hey Jerry, does this mean that the temples will look like a keyboard, and the glasses will play music:cheers:

**Judy Canty** · 03-22-2002, 09:46 AM

Jerry, I don't know that there is an ideal set of measurements, however there are some quirks to be dealt with. Most of us need to use as little head motion as possible so a fairly deep "B" to take full advantage of the intermediate corridor is important and, since we need to glance up from the score to the conductor from time to time, it needs to be "tall" enough that we don't look over the top of the frame. The "A" should take in to consideration the fact that many musicians are required to hold their heads at slight angles, i.e. flautists and violinists and violists. You might want to visit a local music school and watch some of the classes. When performing, most of us are required to wear black, so bright colors may not be appropriate for onstage, however, metals or rimless mounts with interesting temple treatments would be popular. Off stage, bright colors will probably work well as would be musically themed sunglasses.

**sandeepgoodbole** · 03-22-2002, 03:10 PM

This is another differance between East and West!
I have seen a post asking for Goggles for people hanging 100 feet on the tree tops and now, speciality opti wear for Muscians!
In India, Music is not Decteded on the Notations.
The style of Music over here is sort of Spoenteneus Creations and
does not require eyes to remain open at all ! For Musicains here, Ears must be Perfect ! Many vocalists, instrumentalists simply sing or perform with eyes closed !
There was a Great Vocalist named Soor Das (= Servent of Notations) who was blind a few centuries ago.
:idea:
To my mind, The Specatlces, for Muscians can be fitted with acostics enhancing gadges like Graphic Equalizers with Ear Phone etc, and the Materials used for Sides should not resonate with the frequencies being played.

:cheers: