A musical maths teacher’s vision is now music to her eyes and ears
In today’s ever-changing world, many of us now have various visual requirements. A decade ago most presbyopes chose a pair of progressive lenses, (varifocals), as a good all-round solution to their visual needs. But as our use of electronic devices increases, it can be advantageous to have multiple pairs of spectacles, in order to operate effectively.
Maths teacher Alice Bell is no exception. But with the introduction of mask-wearing and social distancing in schools, Alice was becoming increasingly frustrated. Like many teachers, lecturers and those who deliver presentations, Alice was experiencing issues with her varying working and visual distances. Many teachers have an additional pair of reading glasses for near concentrated visual tasks, such as marking students’ work. These provide a full field of vision at that specific distance. However, within the classroom, this is not a suitable solution.
A visually demanding environment
Alice came to Allegro Optical through her music-making connections, she plays the Cornet for the Besses Boys Band. Having been struggling to read the music on her stand prior to lockdown, the new social distancing requirements were making visual tasks problematic at work.
In the classroom teachers spend most of their time standing, looking and walking around. Before the COVID 19 pandemic teachers would lean over their students to check their work. Now they view the work from a safer distance, maintaining social distancing. This was a challenge for Alice who is a high myope. Like all teachers, Alice is required to write on the board and supervise her students across the classroom. Therefore a good distance and near correction is often essential, as well as a variety of intermediate distances as Alice is also presbyopic.
An educators problem
For Alice’s lesson preparation, intermediate and near correction is required, but as a myope, Alice also needs a distance correction. While varifocal lenses are often the first consideration for many teachers, the social distancing requirements have highlighted the increasing need for occupational progressives in the classroom. Occupational progressive lenses complement the use of normal varifocals as they are designed specifically for the working environment.
Occupational lenses could almost be described as the reverse of a conventional varifocal lens. The distance vision has a considerably reduced depth of field, usually between 4 and 6 metres. Whereas the intermediate and reading zones are designed to give a wider optimum visual field. Occupational lenses provide the ideal pair of spectacles for the work environment. They can be interchanged with normal varifocal lenses depending on the individual’s needs. Alice measured her classroom and the distance of her computers from her teaching position.
A solution to an educators problem
We prescribed and designed an occupational pair of lenses that would allow Alice to see clearly throughout her entire working day. The lenses enable Alice to see at all the working distances required of her profession. The lens surfacing technology combines complex curves on both the front and back surfaces of Alice’s lenses. By utilising the dioptric power of the lenses complex curves on both surfaces of the lens, we are able to offer vision correction which is completely unique for everyone.
Digital surfacing provides better optics, improved cosmetics, wider near and distance zones. Most importantly, it provided Alice with a much more natural view of her world. The unique, continuously changing curves of Alice’s lens surfaces also provides her with improved peripheral vision within her working environment. Digital lens processing is one of the most significant and exciting technological developments our industry has seen in recent years. It has dramatically improved the visual field offered over and above the limitations presented by conventional varifocals.
Time for a little bit of styling
As Alice has a high myopic prescription we thinned her lenses. We also chose a frame that would present the lenses in their best possible form. Alice opted for a pair of varifocal lenses and a pair of occupational lenses. She chose the same Dutz frame for each pair but in different colours.
The design of the frame presents Alice’s prescription in the best possible way, hiding the edge thickness while fitting her perfectly. The frames shape and colours perfectly compliment her facial features and colouring. Dutz is a Dutch eyewear brand that specialises in the production of high-quality handmade frames. By designing their own frames they can control the entire production process, from design to the manufacture of all the components. This results in a high-quality collection of frames that are comfortable and look and feel good on any face. By using allergy-friendly and solid stainless steel materials, Dutz’s achieve durability, comfort and style.
A clear result
When she collected her new glasses Alice was delighted with them. She commented that she was unaware that occupational lenses were able to provide such a workable solution for professions such as her own. When we asked Alice a few weeks later how she was getting along with her glasses she said; “My glasses have been even better than I imagined. I can really tell the difference between the “inside” and “outside” glasses and hadn’t realised what a simple solution this could be.
The “indoor” glasses have made my working life so much easier. Not having to enlarge documents on the computer anymore but still being able to see what the students have written on their little whiteboard makes me happy every day! I’m sure my students are also delighted that they no longer have to listen to me saying “I can’t really read that …. wait a minute while I try and make that bigger so I can see it properly”. One other real benefit is being able to read gin bottle labels from a distance, so I can now choose from all the different varieties when I’m in a bar.”
A multi-award-winning approach
So successful has Allegro Optical been in helping clients to achieve optimum quality of vision that in 2020 we were awarded the SME News West Yorkshire’s Most Trusted Family Run Eye Care Clinic. In 2019 we scooped no less than five national and regional awards. These awards include National ‘Best New Arts & Entertainment Business of the Year‘ at a gala event in London. Managing Director Sheryl Doe was awarded the 2019 ‘Dispensing Optician of the Year‘ and the company has been featured in many national publications including The Times 4BarsRest, The British Bandsman and Music Teacher Magazine. Sheryl has recently been named as a judge in this years SME National Business Awards
Are you are a musician who is struggling with their vision? Is making music is no longer the enjoyable experience it once was? If so call us at either Greenfield on 01457 353100 or Meltham on 01484 907090.
