Eye glass needs for harpists?

[Sharone Stevenson]

Has any other harpist had the frustration of getting an optometrist to understand what type of glasses they need in order to be able to see the music clearly on their music stand, or to work at their computer doing music notation for composing music, or playing the piano, and even just going shopping? I have two pairs of glasses which cost a lot of money and still have problems. I have returned for adjustments several times already and they just don’t understand! I would like to have an optometrist come to my house and see what I am talking about, but of course that just doesn’t happen. Is anyone else having these problems too. If so, I would like to hear from them. Thank you.

[catherine-rogers]

You can take the music stand and some music with you and show them where it sits and what you need to see. (You could take the harp, too, if you want to do all that.) Or try checking with other musicians who are happy with their glasses and visit the doctor they use.

[sherry-lenox]

I actually had THREE eye surgeries to correct the vision problem that caused me to be unable to get the kind of glasses I needed, and ultimately none of them solved the problem.
I took a small harp with me to the ophthalmologist’s office but it turned out that in my case, the measurements didn’t make any difference.
Although the 3 surgeries had no impact on my playing I no longer need to wear anything but drugstore readers, so I’m at least in a better position that way. Hope you have better luck than I did!

[Gretchen Cover]

Seriously, take your harp and music stand to the optometrist. I did. (You and the optometrist may even get some photos to use for publicity out of the visit.)It turned out after a lot of trial and error with lenses that I did not need glasses. Just made the music a little bigger on my iPad. You may also want to consider progressive lenses designed just for your harp playing. My husband, who had multiple sets of task glasses -sports, computer, driving -swears by them, now.

[billooms]

I measured the distance from my nose to the music on the stand (30 inches in my case). I told the optometrist I wanted a prescription for that distance. I wanted the entire lens to be that prescription (not bifocals). They had a pair of temporary glasses that they could put test lenses into. I tried the prescription in the optometrist’s office and confirmed that I was able to focus on a page of text at that distance. Then I was off to Costco to get the prescription made.

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Hello, Sharone! I brought my harp and music with me, and also measured the distance from my eye to the music stand. I need three sets of glasses: 1. one set for seeing my music and strings, with a little sliver of farther distance at the top of the lens, 2. one for driving, which is long-distance only, and 3. one for walking around, with long distance at the top and mid-distance in the rest of the lens. As well, I need prism on all my glasses, because I have a slightly turned eye that gives me double vision. My optometrist happens to play the harp, so she knows how important it is to have good vision. I wear the first set for playing in the orchestra. I can see the conductor, though blurrily, but it’s more important to me to see the music.

[goatberryfarm2010]

I’ll be getting my first harp this Fall. Jim & I recently had our eye exams & new glasses made, but I spoke with my optometrist about glasses just for playing my harp. He’s all for my bringing my harp to the office. Of course, I’ll be fortunate to be able to play a nursery rhyme….
Elizabeth, I went directly to bifocals & prisms before turning 40. My heart is with you!

[emma-graham]

It’s a massive problem for many musicians. I struggle with near vision after surgery to correct my short sightedness many years ago. I was very interested to discover that this optician is really making an effort to address the issue. At the moment I can see OK without glasses but the top strings are getting very blurred. I will be contacting them to investigate the harpist lenses in the future I suspect.

https://www.allegrooptical.co.uk/lenses/musician-lenses/

[Anonymous]

great!

[duckspeaks]

I never thought I needed one until I ordered one pair of reading glasses and then incredulously tried it at the Harp. It’s is so good!

I play by ear and memory and don’t have to read scores. But it is so good to see the string a bit clear than before. I thought I didn’t see the strings because they are vibrating. Now it SEE them vibrating!! I didn’t believe I needed that until I tried. It is way way better with the glasses! It feels like the time available to reach for the strings has suddenly increased! I am so glad I did try!

[Anonymous]

great information

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