[Trombone-l] Glaucoma and brass playing

[Richardson, Timothy Mr. DAC USAG Ansbach DPW]

This is an interesting question.

I have noticed that vision fades when I play.  I can get lined up on the
music, seem to see it well, and have it go fuzzy when I play the note.  This
effect is much less with my single vision music glasses than my bifocals,
and they have the additional benefit I can no longer see the conductor
<hee,hee>.  It happens buzzing the mouthpiece, so I doubt that switching to
bass would help much.  Consciously relaxing the forehead helps a little but
does not eliminate it.  

I asked about this on sci.med or sci.med.vision some time ago hoping for a
medical explanation.  Alas, nobody had a suggestion, though a couple of
other brass players had the same problem.  Is it blood pressure increase
from the neck swelling?  Or the eyelids squeezing the eyeballs?  Or results
of Valsalva?  I dunno, something happens though.  I've never heard of kids
experiencing it, just us old timers, but maybe they have vision to spare and
don't notice.  

There is another air pressure related phenomenon that happens to sax,
trumpet and trombone players.  Air can get forced between skin and tissue
and work its way around the body.  Weird, huh?  Makes crackling noises.  As
far as I know I don't have this problem.  

-----Original Message-----
From: zemry1 [mailto:zemry1 at bellsouth.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 2:19 PM
To: Bone List
Subject: [Trombone-l] Glaucoma and brass playing

The principal trombonist in our community announced his "retirement" 
tonight. He has had glaucoma for several years now and it has become 
progressively worse.

He asked his doctors whether the pressure from playing trombone would 
further injure his eyes and their answers were rather non-committal.

However, he was speaking to an ex-girlfriend of his who is Russian. 
According to her, Russian doctors said that the pressure from playing a 
brass instrument could further damage his eyes.

Does anyone know of any evidence to support or debunk this theory?

Would he be better off not playing trombone?

Would switching to bass trombone (less pressure) not be as harmful?