I love playing the piano. It's my happy place. But recently, I hit a wall. I was having real trouble reading sheet music. It was blurry and straining my eyes. I started to dread practice, which is the opposite of what piano should be! I knew I had to find a solution, and I'm excited to share what I learned on my journey.
It started subtly. I'd squint a little more, adjust the music stand, and tell myself it was just a bad day. But soon, it became a constant struggle. The notes swam before my eyes. I even started getting headaches. I tried everything – better lighting, different fonts, even enlarging the print. Nothing seemed to work consistently. I felt defeated. The worst part was that I could see my computer screen just fine. My "computer glasses" were perfect for that distance, so I knew it wasn't just a general vision problem.
I began to wonder if I was losing my passion. Was I getting too old for this? Was it time to hang up my piano-playing shoes? Of course not! I was determined to find a way to continue enjoying my music.
The first thing I did was visit my eye doctor. And guess what? They told me I needed glasses! Not just any glasses, but glasses specifically for that intermediate distance between my eyes and the sheet music. It turns out, needing glasses for a specific focal length is pretty common. I now have one prescription for distance, one for reading, and one for playing the piano. This made a huge difference!
Another thing I explored was using technology. I invested in a large tablet. I then use music score software like Musescore to import PDFs of the sheet music I want to play. I can set the size to something comfortable and even use the auto-scroll feature. This is a game-changer for complex pieces with lots of page turns. It also helps keep my music collection organized.
I even found some amazing glasses online at Mozaer. These glasses are designed to help with reading and computer use. I found that the Elbru Anti Blue Light Reading Glasses really helped. I felt less eye strain after long practice sessions. The blue light filter is an added bonus, especially when using the tablet.
I was so impressed with the quality and style of the glasses that I started browsing the Mozaer website for other accessories. It's a great resource for anyone looking for stylish and functional eyewear. My experience with Mozaer has been very positive, and I highly recommend checking them out for your own needs.
Here are some other things I learned along the way that might help you:
I've found using digital sheet music to be a great solution, but it's not perfect. Here's a quick look at the pros and cons: