Loupes and surgical posture

[OphthoApplicant04]

For oculoplastics, what would be the ideal elbow angle for seated cases? I'm trying to figure out what working distance to aim for on a new pair of loupes. The rep measured 20.5" for my at perhaps 80-85 degrees of flexion and felt it was on the high side. I'm 6" tall and found a lot of internet resources generically listing 16-18" WD for this height so I was beginning to wonder. I was leaning toward a longer working distance with 3.5x EF from DFV to try to keep the best posture possible -- can anyone chime in with their experiences?

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[Equality]

What do you mean by high? Too close? The lenses have some range of working distance so if you can accommodate you may be able to work closer or farther than some setpoint of working distance. If you don't like your new loupes working distance, DVI will work with you and make you new ones for free in the first 6 months or something. Hope you get the kind with eternal frame warranty because the fancier frames with 1 year warranty will break. DVI no longer has their loaner program so when you send in your broken loupes to get fixed, you will NOT get a loaner pair from DVI to get you through the repair period. Some people have 2 pairs--one pair for primary use and another pair for backup for this reason.

 

[Ironfist]

It sounds like if you're serious about occuloplastics - and based on your post you obviously are - you need at least two pairs of loupes before you start residency. I know some ophtho residents who have 3 just in case their backups need backup. Anything else and people won't know that you're serious. What's 4 or 5k in the grander scheme of things?

 

[SidneyCrosby87]

It sounds like if you're serious about occuloplastics - and based on your post you obviously are - you need at least two pairs of loupes before you start residency. I know some ophtho residents who have 3 just in case their backups need backup. Anything else and people won't know that you're serious. What's 4 or 5k in the grander scheme of things?

So that's why they didn't think I was a good fit for plastics. I didn't have enough backup loupes.

 

[OphthoApplicant04]

What do you mean by high? Too close? The lenses have some range of working distance so if you can accommodate you may be able to work closer or farther than some setpoint of working distance. If you don't like your new loupes working distance, DVI will work with you and make you new ones for free in the first 6 months or something. Hope you get the kind with eternal frame warranty because the fancier frames with 1 year warranty will break. DVI no longer has their loaner program so when you send in your broken loupes to get fixed, you will NOT get a loaner pair from DVI to get you through the repair period. Some people have 2 pairs--one pair for primary use and another pair for backup for this reason.

Thanks - guess I will play it by ear. I never had the foresight to measure my working distance on an actual patient. Was trying to get it right the first time because I'm starting fellowship soon, but I can always borrow a flip up if it needs to be reworked.

 

[lidlyft]

Dfvs are pretty heavy and do not allow for good posture. I use surgitels and they are amazing. They don’t look as cool as dfvs but I think optics are superior. The 2.5x offers a great depth of field. The surgitel light is also amazing. Good resident and fellow discounts (but overall more expensive than dfvs)

I do not work or have any relationship to the surgitel brand.

 

[OphthoApplicant04]

Dfvs are pretty heavy and do not allow for good posture. I use surgitels and they are amazing. They don’t look as cool as dfvs but I think optics are superior. The 2.5x offers a great depth of field. The surgitel light is also amazing. Good resident and fellow discounts (but overall more expensive than dfvs)

I do not work or have any relationship to the surgitel brand.

Actually I ended up trying q-optics a couple weeks after my DFV and was blown away at how much lighter they were with better declination. Ordered both...hopefully the 45 day return policy on both is honored.

 

[hello lady!]

It sounds like if you're serious about occuloplastics - and based on your post you obviously are - you need at least two pairs of loupes before you start residency. I know some ophtho residents who have 3 just in case their backups need backup. Anything else and people won't know that you're serious. What's 4 or 5k in the grander scheme of things?

3 pairs of loupes? This is ridiculous advice.

 

[hello lady!]

I went with Designs for Vision and I regret it - their customer service was poor and the reps always acted like I was bothering them. I had to have them remade because the alignment was off. I took the rep over 6 weeks to get out to my office for the measurements and I got an earful about how far of a drive it was for her. I finally got them back and they were OK - I have to position them strangely on my head but they work - the ear pieces can't sit on my ears. I just roll with it and tighten the band.

I ran into a different rep a few month later at AAO and described my problem. He said "oh that's a common problem - I'll bet your rep was new and had them built for surgery instead of dental alignment." I asked for them to remake them since it was their error and they refused. They offered to sell me a brand new new pair, with $100 off though! So nice of them.

 

[TheLesPaul]

That hasn't been my experience. I asked for mine to be set to a dental declination to improve the viewing angle almost a year after purchase and I just paid for shipping.