Retirement was never an option

Sarah's journey as a professional brass musician has been one of resilience and determination, especially in the face of chronic glaucoma and significant visual field loss. Wind musicians have been found to be at particular risk of glaucoma due to raised intraocular pressures experienced when playing. For years, Sarah navigated the challenges posed by her condition, which threatened not just her livelihood but also her passion for music. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, including a trabeculotomy, Trabeculoplasty and trabecular micro-bypass that didn't yield the desired results, Sarah's vision remained impaired. Despite these challenges, Sarah's vision was deemed stable by hospital consultants, offering a glimmer of hope amidst adversity. Sarah then returned to her regular Optician to get some glasses for sight reading, but her Optician failed to address her unique needs as a musician, dismissing her concerns about sight-reading as secondary to driving—a comment that left Sarah feeling unheard and undervalued.

Sarah’s journey to see the music

Determined to reclaim her ability to read music with ease, Sarah sought help from The Musicians Optician, a specialist Optician working in the field of performing arts vision care. This decision marked a turning point in her journey. The Musician’s Optician understood the intricacies involved in reading sheet music and tailored their approach to maximise what little vision Sarah had left. During her consultation, advanced diagnostic tools like optical coherence tomography, saccadic eye tracking, visual gaze analysis, prism assessment, and an Esterman visual field test were employed to assess the extent of damage caused by glaucoma and previous retinal detachment repairs.

The findings revealed significant visual field defects in both eyes—particularly inferior nasally in the right eye—and large deep cupped optic discs indicative of glaucomatous changes.

Once Sarah's visual field loss was fully assessed, a tailored approach was crafted just for her. The team recommended digital lenses featuring yoked prisms and a peripheral asphericisation, along with a coloured filter to enhance her sight reading and performance.

Understanding that traditional paper music notation might not always be practical for Sarah, they explored digital alternatives. Optician Abi played an instrumental role in helping Sarah load a digital overlay onto her tablet to improve screen contrast. Additionally, Abi introduced her to apps like soundslice.com and musescore.org for accessing digital sheet music.

Every aspect of Sarah's daily life was considered; from low visual aids, coloured overlays,  magnifiers to custom eyewear that matched her unique needs. Her clear acetate frame was tinted to complement her lens filters—digitally surfaced designs with yoked prisms providing superior peripheral vision. The team went above and beyond by recording Sarah while she played, ensuring adjustments were made for her right eye dominance which is occasionally hindered by the bell of her instrument. By slightly adjusting the focal length of each lens, they created an optimal monocular solution to give Sarah the very best correction when needed.

With this newfound understanding and support from The Musicians Optician, Sarah can continue pursuing not only her career as a brass player but also indulge in conducting and composing—activities that bring immense joy into her life. Her story is an inspiring testament to how personalised care can empower individuals facing similar struggles; it highlights the importance of compassionately addressing each person's unique circumstances rather than fitting them into conventional lenses.

A real eye opener

When Sarah first tried on her new glasses, she was overjoyed by their transformative effect. A few weeks later, we contacted Sarah and asked her how she was getting on. She replied;

"I couldn't be more pleased! I am now able to play without worrying about seeing. My music-making is now more confident and thoroughly enjoyable; the new glasses have made a huge difference, and I recommend them to anyone who comments on them.

“The team at Performing Arts Vision Care were caring and compassionate, extremely professional while still being warm and human. Their expertise spans both optometry and performing arts, allowing them to ask insightful questions that even seasoned performers might overlook.

“Though their services are pricier than typical opticians, investing in one's vision is invaluable: You only get one pair of eyes and I can't comprehend a different career; retirement isn't an option.

“All in all the whole thing has been thoroughly enjoyable...the glasses are life-changing. I’d also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Tracy for keeping me updated throughout the process: She is a delight."

Sarah's story is a testament to how personalised optical care from skilled professionals can make all the difference—not just in overcoming obstacles but also in rekindling one's passion for their art.

Sarah’s perseverance serves as an uplifting reminder that even when faced with daunting obstacles like significant visual impairment due to glaucoma or other conditions affecting visual performance while music making — we should never lose hope nor underestimate our capacity for adaptation through innovative solutions tailored specifically towards enhancing quality-of-life experiences such as those offered by dedicated professionals who truly understand niche needs within creative fields like music-making itself! 

What draws musicians to Performing Arts Vision Care?

Performing Arts Vision Care is receiving global recognition. Both for their professional acumen and for adopting an innovative strategy to meet the needs of musical clients.

Referred to as the "Musician's Opticians," Performing Arts Vision Care serves a clientele from throughout Europe and beyond. Their optical specialists were the inaugural recipients of registration with the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM), due to their pioneering contributions to eye care in the performing arts. Optician Sheryl Doe, having collaborated on the "Healthy Performer Project" with Bapam and The Royal College of Music, appeared in one of the Royal College of Music's brief films on performer health care. The videos feature expert healthcare and medical specialists discussing their fields, offering practical guidance to help performers identify symptoms, provide preventative advice, and outline treatments for common ailments. Opticians Abi and Sheryl, along with optometrist Liz, significantly contributed to the UK's inaugural Visual Health in Performing Arts symposium, held at York University in 2022. Additionally, Sheryl co-presented a workshop on musicians' visual health at the 36th World Conference of the International Society of Music Education in Helsinki in 2024.

Each customer is treated uniquely due to their individuality. No two musicians are identical; thus, their vision correction should not be either. The team, being musicians themselves, continually develops new lens designs and techniques, enabling them to pose relevant questions and accurately interpret the responses. If you are a musician struggling with an eye disorder and making music no longer the enjoyable experience it once was, give us a call at either on 01484 907090 or 0333 33 55 745