LED pen flashlights for eye exam?

[Twitch]

Just curious if anyone knew if we could use the energy efficient white LED flashlights for the eye exam rather than the cheapie $1-2 ones from the bookstore that don't last as long.

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[Law2Doc]

Just curious if anyone knew if we could use the energy efficient white LED flashlights for the eye exam rather than the cheapie $1-2 ones from the bookstore that don't last as long.

I don't think anyone cares what you use, as long as it's a light source to which healthy pupils react. The real issue is size, as you need to carry tons of crap in your small pockets during med school.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I suppose it depends on the brightness.

Shine one in your eye and ask yourself if you would tolerate that as a patient.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I know my "hot-dog" size LED flashlight with 5 LEDs tends to be way too bright. Even the single LED which masquerades as a flash on my cellphone camera is way too bright. I wonder since the LED has such a concentrated, directional light that you may need to try out several to see what works best. Maybe there are filters for some that work for the medical field?

 

[Law2Doc]

FWIW if you are carrying your otoscope anyhow you can do without a flashlight altogether and use that as a light source instead.

 

[Twitch]

I didn't buy the otoscope. Here is the one I'm looking at. It's one of those 4-in-1. I'll try it out.

How long do you need to shine it on the eye for? A split second enough?

 

[smq123]

I didn't buy the otoscope. Here is the one I'm looking at. It's one of those 4-in-1. I'll try it out.

How long do you need to shine it on the eye for? A split second enough?

You need to shine it in the eye for a second or two - a split second isn't enough for you to see a pupillary reflex.

If that thing has visibility up to a mile (and comes with a warning to avoid direct eye contact - or is that just for the laser beam setting?) it might be too strong.

The cheap pen lights don't have really long battery lives, but you don't use them all that much anyway. And, like you said, they're cheap and easily replaceable.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I didn't buy the otoscope. Here is the one I'm looking at. It's one of those 4-in-1. I'll try it out.

How long do you need to shine it on the eye for? A split second enough?

I had that exact pen before. After having it for about 2 hours, I dropped it on the ground. The LED and Laser never worked again.

Also, it'd be easy to hit the Laser button instead of the LED button (they emit from the same end) and you could blind your patient. I'd go with a penlight that didn't have a Laser as part of it.

 

[Twitch]

I had that exact pen before. After having it for about 2 hours, I dropped it on the ground. The LED and Laser never worked again.

Also, it'd be easy to hit the Laser button instead of the LED button (they emit from the same end) and you could blind your patient. I'd go with a penlight that didn't have a Laser as part of it.

That sucks dude. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[45408]

Shine one in your eye and ask yourself if you would tolerate that as a patient.

Doesn't matter, lol. I've got a ridiculously bright LED flashlight that I never shine in my own eyes because it's so bright, but I use it on all my 911 calls, because in the wacky environment that is EMS, you need something bright to always make someone's pupils constrict. A little penlight might not do it, and then you don't know if their pupils are functioning or not. Nobody's ever complained, after hundreds of patients.

 

[Blanket]

Dont buy....usually Army, Navy, Pharmaceutical companies etc... give them out when they visit your school. Mine is from US Army.

 

[DickyV]

Dont buy....usually Army, Navy, Pharmaceutical companies etc... give them out when they visit your school. Mine is from US Army.

Unless you're not into that sort of thing:
http://www.nofreelunch.org/

 

[tdd340]

Unless you're not into that sort of thing:
http://www.nofreelunch.org/

I understand your point but the US military is ALOT different than a drug company. A free pen from them is not going to influence your patient care at all.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

MAG light is the way to go...

 

[Twitch]

MAG light is the way to go...

They now come in LED.

 

[bivwack]

probably better of using the cheapie $1-2 ones from the bookstore, rather than a LED light, for the simple fact that white LEDs emit a bluish light, very narrow spectrum. it bleaches out colors on the red end of the spectrum. Fine for pupils, not as good as good as the light from an incandescent bulb when looking at throats, deep in abscesses or sacral decubes, etc.

Besides every hospital i have worked in provides free replacement batteries for beepers, AAA or AA's just ask around where to get them....you hand hand them a old battery they hand you a new one, the hospitals i have worked have kept me in fresh batteries for beepers, penlights, remote controls......

 

[Final]

no. only the cheap flash light. no LED flash light.

tool.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Another thing to think about...stuff gets lost, borrowed, or stolen. It's much better to have a case of cheap-o flashlights that you can lose than a nice and expensive LED flashlight. If you do go with the LED flashlights, make sure they are the cheap ones.

 

[jefguth]

in my opinion, cheapie penlights and LED lights are not that useful when evaluating pupillary responses, especially with older miotic pupils and dark irides, and especially if you're trying to r/o APD ("swinging flashlight test") Use the brightest thing you've got, that's probably your otoscope.

 

[Medica2010]

if you can shine it in someone's eye and get a pupillary response, go for it

 

[kylek044]

That laser/LED/pen is just asking for trouble.
Make the investment in a nice LED pen light if that's what you want (http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=106 - this is the one I have)
A single LED will probably not be too bright, especially if you're just testing pupil reactivity.
It might not be a bad idea to keep a few disposables around just in case you need it.