First loupes fair. What to expect? What to look for?

[THS]

I have my first loupes fair in early November, and I am wondering what features I should look for when choosing a pair of loupes. I know I want 3-3.5x magnification, and I know I want fixed (not flip-up) loupes. What marketing ploys (if any) should I be aware of from the salespeople? I hear great things about Q-Optics and Surgitel, what other manufacturers should I check out?

Thanks in advance, friends!

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[predentalgirl]

Oh my gosh, we had a loupes fair 5 days ago, SO OVERWHELMING.

I guess a big thing to look out for is the magnification. I know ALL the vendors that came to our school said to get 2.5x only.... Even though every upperclassman had told me not to settle for anything less than 3. Even my dentist said the higher the better. I feel like MAYBE the vendors want you to start low so that you will be forced to switch later and have to pay even more.

I loved Orascoptic. If you are willing to shell out a few extra dollars, that is. They are amazing! I have also heard nothing but good things about them.

 

[sgv]

they know that you're going to need >3.5 sooner or later so they'll try their best to sell you on their 2.5x...they'll make arguments that you need to time to adjust to go from 2.5x to 3.5x....it's BS...

they'll also try to sell you the light package...they're not bad deals but you could save several hundred dollars by ordering lumadent/featherlight aftermarket lights with a group deal, which can be a hassle to some...

there's no standard for magnification in this industry so although orascoptic advertises a 4.3x mag...it's actually close to DFV's 3.5x ef...surgitel also overestimates their magnifications

there are two types of lenses. galilean and prismatic. galilean is the cheapest and lightest of the two and at higher magnifications, loses significant field of view...galilean lenses are usually limited to low magnifications (2.5x)...prismatic are heavier and larger but allow greater field of view at high mag...so at high mag around 3.5x, you could get galilean 3.5x and prismatic 3.5x but only prismatic will give you the most field of view while retaining the magnification (at the cost of weight)

if you don't want to think about it, just get a 3.5x ef from designs for vision on their yeoman frames...it's going to be hard for lay people to tell the difference in quality of lens and it's definitely not clinically distinguishable so you can't go wrong with either of the four big brands orascopic, surgitel, dfv and qoptic

if i had to buy loupes again, i'd buy zeiss 3.5x...if your working distance is 16 inches or below, i'd get Heine 3.5x...both of these are flip ups and at this point in dental school, i can really appreciate the angle of declination afforded to you with flip ups...they'll save you from neck strain

 

[THS]

I feel like MAYBE the vendors want you to start low so that you will be forced to switch later and have to pay even more.

I've heard this as well, I'm glad it's not an isolated incident.

there's no standard for magnification in this industry so although orascoptic advertises a 4.3x mag...it's actually close to DFV's 3.5x ef...surgitel also overestimates their magnifications

there are two types of lenses. galilean and prismatic. galilean is the cheapest and lightest of the two and at higher magnifications, loses significant field of view...galilean lenses are usually limited to low magnifications (2.5x)...prismatic are heavier and larger but allow greater field of view at high mag...so at high mag around 3.5x, you could get galilean 3.5x and prismatic 3.5x but only prismatic will give you the most field of view while retaining the magnification (at the cost of weight)

if i had to buy loupes again, i'd buy zeiss 3.5x...if your working distance is 16 inches or below, i'd get Heine 3.5x...both of these are flip ups and at this point in dental school, i can really appreciate the angle of declination afforded to you with flip ups...they'll save you from neck strain

Thanks for the input. I wanted fixed loupes to reduce the weight, but if the trade-off is neck strain, I may have to rethink after I try both types.

 

[sgv]

I've heard this as well, I'm glad it's not an isolated incident.



Thanks for the input. I wanted fixed loupes to reduce the weight, but if the trade-off is neck strain, I may have to rethink after I try both types.

could you ask orascoptic and dfv what the greatest angle of declination on their fixed frames are and report back to us?

 

[THS]

could you ask orascoptic and dfv what the greatest angle of declination on their fixed frames are and report back to us?

No problem! Keep in mind this is November 4th, so it will be a while.

 

[dmdluffy]

+1 for what sgv said

 

[DonDDS]

Hello everyone,

There are 3 main features that you want to look for in choosing your loupes:

• Angle of declination
• Optical clarity
• Frame

Getting the right angle for your working position will save you a lot neck and back pain. Make sure anyone you buy loupes from can make them for an angle that works for you. Second, look at the demo loupes the reps have and check them for the optical quality. When you look through the oculars, you should have a very clear image and no reflection. Less reflection means your eyes adjust less translating to more comfort.

Finally you need to look at the frame selection. Look for a frame that fits well and is light. Most people overlook the weight of the frame when selecting loupes and end up adding weight without realizing it.

If you want to take a look at what we offer, head over to our website and you can a better idea of what we can offer.
Our 3.1x and 3.3x loupes have the best optical quality and maybe be more of what you are looking for.
We always have special offer for students!

 

[Electrophilic]

I didn't notice a significant difference in optical quality amongst the major brands, but I did notice that they all felt very different. Wear any pair that you are seriously considering for as long as they let you. It's hard to get a true feel for them in 10-15 minutes, but you'll be able to tell the difference. Go with what is most comfortable since they're eventually going to be on your face 6+ hours a day. I don't think any of the major brands make a bad pair of loupes so just go with what works best for you.

 

[CleverThought]

We had ours in September, in fact mine should come in any day now.

As a previous poster said, not all magnification is equal between the brands. Bring a dollar bill or a quarter so you can standardize in your mind what the magnifications are like across the brands. Also, ask about the warranty they offer and how fast the turn around is for repairs. Try on the frames at all the vendors and pick what is most comfortable for you!

I'm sure you've been told, but strongly consider getting a light too!

For what it's worth, I purchased 3.5x DFV Nike frames.

 

[THS]

Thanks for the feedback, guys!

 

[Bis-GMA111]

a few things, in short...1. warranty of the loupes+light 2. field of view (my personal recommendation--going beyond 2.5x is just unnecessary as a student) 3. comfort of the loupes