Veterinarian looking for a little info on lenses

[drchrisdvm2009]

Hi everyone,

I am a veterinarian who will be starting a neurology residency in July. I am looking to purchase a general examination lens and have been deliberating over which to decide upon. The ophthalmologist at the university here always uses a 20D on dogs/cats and a 14D on equine. Even with her BIO, she uses a 20D (even though she has 78 and 90 D in the drawer).
The main thing I would be using this for is to evaluate for evidence of fungal infection, hypertension, papilledema, retinal detachment on patients that I cannot always check pressures before I dilate. (most of our ophtho exams are undilated in vet species).
For general fundoscopy using just a transilluminator, would you recommend a 20D, 2.2 pan retinal, 30D, 40D?
Another thing is that our patients dont hold still when you ask them to and don't look where you want them to most of the time. The more of the fundus you can see at one time, the better.
Also, where generally has the best prices? I have been reading about the debt/salary problems of the ODs, and the DVMs have the same issues, we have average 175K (personally 250K...did some schooling out of the country), and starting salaries are in the 50-60K range.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Chris Levine, DVM
Intern, Small Animal Medicine/Surgery
Oklahoma State University

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[optojake]

If you are using a BIO, a 20D would probably be your best bet, though some use a 28D. The 28D will give you more mag but less perspective since you lose field of view. I almost 100% of the time use a 20D (but am doing no vet ophthalmoscopy, lol).

If you want to just use a transilluminator, a 20D can also work for you. You can use the transilluminator as a light source and the 20D as a magnifying lens to get a gross view of the lids, lashes, sclera, conj, cornea, etc.

A 30D and 40D are two lenses I don't personally have any experience with. I just use a 20D, 90/78D lenses so I couldn't really help you with those.

As far as buying lenses, I've used Nikon brand and Volk brands. I would go with Volk if it were me.

Hope this helps!

P.S. I'm not sure what the average indebtedness of OD students (I think somewhere around 150-160,000). I also believe the average starting salary is around 70-80,000 depending on if you work private, corporate, or start your own business. Also it can vary on how many days you work and how fast you like to see patients. (Also how well you know billing and coding!)

 

[UWOpt2009]

The 28D will give you more mag but less perspective since you lose field of view.

Other way. Higher dioptric power = less mag, more field of view.

If more field of view is what you're looking for, 28D or 30D would be the lens.

 

[optojake]

actually i think i had it right. the optics in a BIO are different (i believe). i know a 90 has a higer FOV than a 78, but by that same logic a 78 would have a higher FOV than a 20D but that is not true. i've personally used a 20D and a 28D and found the 28 to have more mag (but that is just me).

and all this debate on optics is arbitrary since i use a 20D for BIO 99.9% of the time and a 90D for SLE 99.9% of the time too, lol.

 

[optojake]

never mind. scratch everything i just said, lol.

http://www.volk.com/pdf/biochart.pdf

 

[hiisociety]

Here is a great chart to go of too.

http://www.ocularstore.com/data/ocularinstruments-indirect_lens_comparison_chart.pdf

Hope it helps.

J