Loupes (Telescopes)

[Yah-E]

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Alright, some advice please! I'm planning on dropping another $800 (with the student discount) to purchase some loupes. Here are my questions for those upper classmen or current dental medical doctors:

1) who's the best and which model?

Surgitel or Orascoptics?

2) What magnefication?

2.5X or more?

3) TTL (Through-The-Lens) or FLM (Front-Lens-Mounts) style?

4) Do you recommend students to purchase loupes?

FOR CURRENT DENTAL STUDENTS:

1) Was loupes budgeted in your instrument kits at your school? You figure that since it's so highly recommended, the school would budget this type of tool in the instrument package!? At Nova, we have to get it on our own!!!

2) Are you planning on purchasing them?

Thanks everyone!!

 

[sjdent]

I just purchased a pair of SurgiTel loupes for, I believe, $650, give or take a few....dozen....dollars. Geez, that was a wad of cash to give up. But the prices just go up from there.

I ended up getting through-the-lens because I thought they were lighter. I also preferred SurgiTel because they made lenses that fit my small face. I had many, many upperclassmen friends who tried to persuade me on every aspect of purchasing loupes. Most said to get a magnification of at least 3.0....but most liked 3.5. HOWEVER, I chose to get 2.5 to sort of break myself into the whole magnification thing. You can always upgrade later. Remember, it's ALL about personal preference. What's good for one person is bad for another.

 

[sjdent]

And no, it's not included in our "package". Wish it was.

 

[dudelove]

I didn't have loupes when I was in dental school but I sure wish I did. I would totally recommend designs for vision. The company is great and offers a 6 month exchange and a 3 month money back guarantee(something like this). I used to have 2.5x but that wasn't enough, so I moved up to 3.5x which is great. I am thinking about picking up a pair of 4.5x. I couldn't imagine doing anything without my loupes!

 

[Yah-E]

Designs For Vision was another company that my dental school supply store had recommended! Sounds like everyone is recommending a pair of loupes. Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

[bitecys]

of those of us who have loupes, we're split about 50% orascoptic, and 25% each surgitel and designs for vision. We lucked out though, we have a guy who is a medical supply distributor on the side who cut a deal with orascoptic.

Most of our professors recommend orascoptic and then surgitel, and NO, it was not included in our fees...that would have been nice.

 

[mini tooth]

Loupes were included in our Freshman kit. Our school made a ridiculous deal with Surgitel so made EVERYONE get surgitel, which was a HUGE mistake. Everyone is different and you really MUST try several pairs and different companies to know which works BEST for YOU. Anyways, alot of my classmates HATED their Surgitel loupes and could not SEE with them (was more blurry and dizzy) so tried to return them and get it from another company. I returned mine too. Most of us ended up getting Oroscoptics. I got the 2.5x thru-the -lens.
The surgitel I got the first time was the flip one. It didn't work for me because somehow the adjustments couldn't work with my vision and it made me really dizzy and i was seeing double vision looking thru them trying to work on my preps!
With thru-the =lens, the visual field is musch wider so you see more of the surrounding which is good for me. It didn't make me dizzy at all and did not require any time for adjustments or getting used to.
(with the surgitel, they tell you that you will feel dizzy the first few times you wear it and that you'll get used to it, but it never happened with me.) I feel that if those loupes are right for you, you should not have to try to learn to adjust to them!
Anyways, take time to look for the right pair. You will keep these for a long time.
And I think you should DEFINITELY have loupes and use them starting your first pre-clinical lab. The point of having loupes is to allow you to see better and ALSO more importantly, it will help you sit with your back straight and keep your chin parallel to the floor instead of down and one inch from your patients' face!
Operator positioning is very important of you intend to work for a long time without back and neck pains.
At UCLA, we all wear our loupes in the pre-clinical labs and also in the clinic, even when doing simple cleanings. Saves you from straining your eyes and saves your neck and back from bending too much.
Good luck finding the perfect pair!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Loupes were a part of our school package, and we got fitted for them today. I got SurgiTel 2.5. Hopefully I enjoy them.

 

[UBTom]

Orascopic 2.5 flip-mount here. I bought mine for $650 back during my freshman year in 2000.

The reason why I opted for the flip-mount is that it gives me the flexibility to work with or without the loupes in place as dictated by the situation, and the interpupillary distance is adjustable.

The front-heavy weight isn't a factor. I just tighten the adjustable cord behind my head and it stays on securely.

HTH!

 

[anamod]

I have 3.5x designs for vision I like them a great deal. I got the black Buddy Holly frames. I went for the T.T.L. they are much lighter. Most of the people in my class went with Design for Vision or Orascoptic. 2.5x. After using mine most wish they would have went up to the 3.5x. I spent about 850 on them and there customer service is great I had to return them for adjustments and they where great about it.

 

[anamod]

I think i'm going to shell out the money and get a fiberoptic headlamp next. Most dentist's say with that much magnifaction it helps to have a better light sorce.

 

[ItsGavinC]

The headlamp is also included as part of our freshman package. I forgot to mention that.

 

[tinker bell]

it's not included in ucsf, but if we want to buy loops, we can request financial aid that we want to buy loops, and they'll add $700 to our package.

I'll wait until meeting all of those sale rep. and try on all of those loops, hear pros and cons and then buy my pair.

 

[mr thirsty]

It is a great idea to get loupes, they are great!

I got mine from SurgiTel in the beginning of my 2nd year because at the end of the first year, after doing enough preps in pre-clinical operative, I felt how much my back was hurting from bending over to be able to see and how tired my eyes were after finishing the procedures.

I shelled out $625 for them and can safely say they are worth every penny.

They are 2.5X magnification and it's the flip up model. This magnification power is more than enough unless you later wish to specialize in endo or oral surgery where higher magnification will be required. The model number I have is 250N.

The reason for the flip up ones vs TTL (through the lens) is that the flip up ones allow you to adjust them so that you are sitting straight and don't bend your neck just to be able to see.😎

Also consider that loupes take some time to get used to, so I would advise getting them while you are still in pre-clinical courses so that you practice with them on plastic teeth before getting to the patients.

Hope it helps,

 

[aphistis]

Ditto IUSD. The D2's are recommending we go ahead and get ours ASAP so we can have them at our disposal as early as possible. We also get supplemental financial aid for them. I'm not sure yet exactly what kind to get, but I've begun doing research; and the D2's I've spoken to all swear by Designs for Vision 2.5 or 3x's.