Volk vs. Nikon ophthalmic lenses

[DOCTORSAIB]

I need to buy lenses. I know most residents just get the Volk series (20, 78 and 90D) but what about Nikon? Is it better quality? Is there even a difference between the two?

Or should I just stick to Volk like everyone else?

And where can I get the best price?

Sorry for all the questions guys!

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[4424]

i got my lenses through lombart. http://www.lombartinstrument.com/ call them and let them know you're an ophtho resident and they will give you a discount. i know they carry volk but not sure about nikon

 

[twintiger32]

Seems as though most residents and even attendings use Volk, but some retina specialists swear by Nikon because of better optics to view the fundus. Supposedly they are out of production.

Do like the rest of us and just pick up a set of Volk's...likely more than good enough.

 

[Mirror Form]

Seems as though most residents and even attendings use Volk, but some retina specialists swear by Nikon because of better optics to view the fundus. Supposedly they are out of production.

Do like the rest of us and just pick up a set of Volk's...likely more than good enough.

yeah, nikon 20D's are definitely a higher quality lens for viewing the retina (at least imho). But supposedly something happened and nikon had to stop either making them or selling them in the US.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

yeah, nikon 20D's are definitely a higher quality lens for viewing the retina (at least imho). But supposedly something happened and nikon had to stop either making them or selling them in the US.

Nikons were highly regarded and are still considered excellent lenses. They certainly compared well with the Volks at the time. Newer-design Volks surpass the older 20D Volks, now marketed as "classic" lens designs, and have newer optical surfaces and coatings. I don't know whether the glass mixture itself is different, but just by my using them makes me think the newer Volk glass lenses seem heavier, size for size.

I never got a straight story why Nikon left the US market, except they now appear to have discontinued all of their ophthalmic instrumentation products--slit lamps, ophthalmic cameras, etc--and just make eyeglass lenses for dispensing. I heard something about a legal challenge, but I don't know whether that came from a competitor or from a licensed USA distributor of other Nikon products.


Except for the odd Haag-Streit slit lamp lens, the only competitors to Volk in the USA is Ocular Instruments, who also make nice products.