Re: [Harp-L] eyes and harmonica playing

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 19, 2008, at 11:13 AM, Garry Hodgson wrote:

> Joe and Cass Leone wrote:
> > > I was told the boxers, trumpet players, and diabetics (in that  
> > > order) were suceptible.
> i can see it being an issue for trumpet players and such.  but i  
> don't think
> that harmonica players create nearly the kind of pressure that horn  
> players
> do (the OP spoke of "wind instruments").  i think the concern on  
> this list is
> misplaced or overblown (so to speak).
I only boxed at he boy's club for 2 years (14 & 15), and remember  
retinas being mentioned, but if you watch enough fights on TV, you  
will notice that detached retinas are referred to quite often. As for  
the trumpet players, I used to exert a lot of force and at times I  
felt as if I broke a vein in one of my lips? I don't know what  
analogy could be drawn, but it sure hurt like H E double hockey  
sticks. I even get the chills when I see the veins popping out on  
someone's head.

Now for harp, I see it (no pun intended) differently. Most of the  
real 'cranking' seems to be on the INHALE, not the exhale. Even the  
blow bends don't need a lot of pressure. When my wife had her eyes  
checked once, the readings were 33 in her right eye and 22 in her  
left. I understand that it is really a good idea to keep this figure  
at under 19, BUT according to her, she was told that a detached  
retina can happen to anyone at anytime, for any reason, or even no  
reason.

smo-joe