Wearing glasses at the piano

[markymark]

Yes - well in reading notes generally.

[Gill the Piano]

I know a lot of customers have to have specific piano glasses as the distance is an odd one - neither long nor short range. One bought her glasses from the chemists, and they seem to work fine for a fiver!

[planete]

After trying to play with my variable focus lenses and getting a crick in the neck from peering at scores through the bottom of the glasses as well as not always being sure which line some notes were on, I measured the distance between my eyes when seated at the piano, and the score. The optician then made me reading glasses for that distance. End of problems. If you have to spend time peering hard at some notes to determine what they are, then I would say it is definitely worth getting glasses. I am afraid it did not however solve all my sight-reading difficulties!

[Descombes]

I have perfect "piano" glasses, which are actually my old reading glasses. My optician explained the logic (it was his suggestion). When I needed stronger glasses for reading, the old, weaker ones were ideal for a "middle" distance. ("Fingertip" distance, as he described it: exactly the distance of the music stand on a piano.)

I find my varifocals OK for teaching, but they really are a compromise and not ideal for anything. Playing the piano in them results in even more wrong notes than usual!

[bluedianthus]

Yes, I had the experience. In 2008, I changed my spectacle coz even with my glasses I can't read the signboards while i'm driving!!. Even i play the piano during the church sermons, I missed to play some place (i dont read tabs, i just know the solfage, and the beats/tempo) my right's degree up to 50%..huhu..But after change my glasses, i got a better sight...thanks to England Optical..

[markymark]

Over-using your eyes when they are tired can also cause eye-strain.

I wouldn't recommend doing anything sight-reading based if you are tired.