If you play an insturment and you find more and more frequently your eyes are hurting when you finish, you might be experiencing eye strain. Even if your eyes feel alright, but you are suffering from headaches, or worse, migraines, after playing, it might also be a case of eye strain. The good news is there are simple fixes for the problem and you do not have to give up playing. There is no reason for a musician to live with pain caused by their playing and the issues that go along with it. Start by investing in a quality piano lamp. Not having enough light when you play is one of the most common reasons musicians suffer from eye strain. Piano lamps add light to your playing space and make it easier to read the sheets of music as you play.
Once the area is well lit, you might still have some problems. Considering having the sheets of music enlarged. Just like books sometimes come in large print, music can be found the same way. If you are unable to find a piece already enlarged, take the piece to a copy store and have them enlarge it there or print it off from your own computer in a larger font. This makes seeing the notes and reading the music much easier. It is especially helpful as we get older and have a difficult time seeing small print.
Sitting the appropriate distance from the music helps, too. Sometimes musicians have a tendency to sit too close, especially if they are having a hard time seeing it. Others might sit too far back and squint to see the notes. Both are going to cause eye strain and leave you feeling foggy and dizzy at the end of a practice session.
When playing, make sure you take frequent breaks. Like all artists, it is easy for a musician to get caught up in what they are doing and let time slip by. While it might feel great to get lost in your art, you will not feel great later in the day or the next morning when your eyes are sore and you have a headache. It is a good idea to take a ten minute break every hour or so. Get up, walk around and rest your eyes. This also helps you from getting sore all over from sitting in the same position.
Finally, if none of these tricks work, it might be time to see an eye doctor. There is a chance you need glasses. Eye strain is one of the most common signs a person is having trouble seeing things far away or up close. Your eye doctor will be able to perform an eye test and determine if there is a problem with your vision. It might turn out you just need to wear glasses when playing your instrument. Regardless of what the problem is, you need to deal with it before you ruin your eyes and no longer get to play.
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