Care and Maintenance Tips for Your Ophthalmoscope

 

A direct ophthalmoscope is an essential item used by doctors to see inside the fundus of a patient’s eye.

The general construction

The ophthalmoscope consists of a handle and a head. The handle contains the batteries and the head is often designed as a detachable addition. The head includes a bulb, a set of apertures for the light and a set of lenses. The magnified view provided by an ophthalmoscope is about fifteen times larger.

Light from a bulb is reflected at ninety degrees and projected onto the iris as a spot. This allows the illumination of the retina. The reflection is achieved with the help of a mirror or a prism. The user of the ophthalmoscope can then study the illuminated retina.

An ophthalmoscope can be adjusted according to the need. A disc on the head contains lenses of different powers and can be adjusted according to the patient. There is a reflecting prism just above the mirror, which is where the user has to focus. Many, though not all, ophthalmoscopes have filters to reduce the red-eye effect and the glare from the retina. For a dilated pupil, one can use a regular aperture. For other instances, small apertures are needed. There is a collar to control the brightness.

Tips for caring and maintaining your device

Here are some basic techniques which can help you keep your ophthalmoscope functioning correctly.

Firstly, always keep the instrument in the pouch when not in use. Before placing the instrument in its case, ensure that the device is fully turned off.

Recharge the batteries at the end of each working day. Check regularly to ensure there is no corrosion or oxidation of batteries. When replacing batteries, change both and not just one. If you will not use your ophthalmoscope for some time, it is ideal that the user removes the batteries and keeps them in their protective case.

Wipe the dust off your ophthalmoscope every day. A 70% isopropyl alcohol solution is ideal and should be applied with a lint-free cloth. Wipe both the handle and the head with it. Take care to limit to external surfaces. Ensure that liquid does not seep inside into the components.

When storing the instrument, keep it at zero setting. The hole does not have a lens loaded at the zero setting, preventing dust build-up on the lenses. If your ophthalmoscope has a shutter for the viewing window, it should be closed when not in use.

 

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