FOCUS

4
FEATURE
Loupes – how do
yours measure up?
Paul Scott discusses the importance of
custom-measured loupes
Before you buy your next pair of loupes,
or even your first pair of loupes, there’s
a few things you should consider.
Choosing loupes can be tricky. Do you go
for the sporty ones, maybe the cheap pair
you found on the internet, or do you go for
the professionally measured, custom-fitted
loupes that may be a little more expensive,
but deliver beautiful magnification that
exactly suits the type of work you’re doing?
Any kind of loupe or loupe and light is
costly if they don’t do the job, give you eye
strain, which leads to headaches, or are
heavy or uncomfortable to wear. That’s
where a bit more research will probably
lead to the conclusion that professionally
custom-measured, custom-fitted loupes are
worth their weight in titanium.
It’s easy to find ready-made loupes on the
internet and these might look like a good
option; they’re probably fairly cheap and
what have you got to lose? Unfortunately
these loupes are usually set to ‘averages’
and cannot be adjusted to your personal
requirements. Internet purchased flip-ups
require that you set these up yourself
without any training and this is a difficult
procedure and is often done incorrectly. This
could lead to poor vision, eye strain and bad
posture. Additionally they are often made
of inferior materials, with flimsy frames and
poor quality lenses and over time your eyes
and posture can suffer as you accommodate
for the deficiencies in the product. Good
quality, well-measured loupes can really
enhance your clinical work and make your
daily practice more comfortable in both the
short and long term.
Posture and positioning
Often when I talk to dentists many seem to
have suffered, or are suffering from, a range
of muscular skeletal difficulties. This seems
to be increasingly commonplace as dentists
are either seeing more patients, or the type
of work they’re doing is more exacting and
they find themselves having to get nearer
to the patient to see what they are doing.
I’m also seeing dentists where they have
been provided with loupes, but the loupes
themselves are making them adopt poor
posture. A pair of well-measured, customfitted
loupes with a light will not only allow
you to see more, it will also allow you to
work in perfect comfort without constant
aches and pains.
The working distance between the
clinician’s eyes and the patient, together
with the angle of declination – how much
you tilt your head – need to be appropriate
for the individual. Getting these two things
correct minimises stress on the neck, back
and shoulders, leading to a comfortable
viewing position of the working area, which
in turn aids the delivery of high quality
clinical work.
Made-to-measure
When it comes to choosing loupes and
a light there are many benefits to being
measured by an expert in your own surgery,
after all you wouldn’t expect your patients
to make their own crowns.
When I visit a practice to help a dentist
select a pair of loupes I like to find out what
kind of magnification they are currently
using and if they have any difficulties
with their posture. I then observe them
in their normal working position and
discuss the kind of work they are doing,
general dentistry or more specialist work,
which might require a higher level of
magnification.
Measuring and more measuring
As part of the consultation process I take
many detailed measurements of a dentist’s
working position and face, in addition to
taking some personal details. All this builds
a picture, giving me the information I need
to advise on the best loupes for you. This
ensures that the loupes are perfect for you
and allow you to work in a correct position.
As a trained dispensing optician, I wonder
how anyone seriously thinks that they can
buy a pair of loupes that are fit for purpose
from an online website (it’s impossible to
take your own measurements), or from
companies without the proper training,
expertise or experience.
Custom-measured, expertly fitted loupes
will deliver fantastic vision, comfort, style,
and many years of excellent service.
In the overall scheme of things, if you take
your dentistry seriously, buying custommade
loupes and a light is really an
investment in yourself and helps you deliver
comfortable and high quality dentistry.
Paul Scott FBDO(CL),
is an Evident loupe
and light specialist and
dispensing optician.
For a no-obligation
demonstration and FREE
expert posture advice,
Freephone 0500 321111 or
visit examvision.co.uk
Freephone 0500 321111
sales@evident.co.uk
evident.co.uk