In our long-standing practice as opticians, we have encountered various cases that required us to seek special optical solutions. For example, it is almost always a challenge to find an option that fully satisfies the requirements of dentists. Moreover, our experience shows that in later years, a significant portion of them experience certain visual changes, which could probably be explained by the specific working conditions.

Over the years, we have asked ourselves why in developed European countries and the USA, almost all dental professionals use professional telescopic glasses (loupes), while in Bulgaria, only a few do? It is strange because, in our opinion, this is the only tool in a dentist's practice that preserves their health while also benefiting the patient.

In the article below, we will try to answer more questions related to dental loupes. 

THREE REASONS NOT TO USE DENTAL LOUPES

We can assume some of the following reasons for the low interest in professional magnifying tools in Bulgaria:

1. Lack of training and information about these products;
2. Bad experience with low-quality loupes;
3. High cost.
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The lack of professional information about these optical products is one of the main factors for the non-use of magnifying tools in our country. In almost all developed countries, the loupe is a mandatory attribute and is present during the training and practice of the doctor. In Bulgaria, there is no information about these products provided by eye specialists.

Some dentists have tried working with more budget-friendly loupes, and in most cases, this leads to disappointment and refusal to work with such tools. The reasons for this are listed below.

As for market prices, our opinion is that there is a lack of a balanced product (price/quality) positioned between low-quality options and those of popular brands.

THREE REASONS TO GET DENTAL LOUPES

1. The vision;
2. Тялото;
3. The quality

VISION: Working for hours on end, patient after patient without a break, focusing at close distances on small details inevitably leads to extreme strain on the eye's accommodation. Additionally, the bright blue light entering the eyes causes further visual stress. Loupes prevent these negative factors and allow for prolonged work without visual fatigue and discomfort.

We have heard myths claiming that loupes “spoil” or “make the eyes lazy.” On the contrary, they maintain the eyes in good condition. Otherwise, the muscles of the intraocular lens prematurely lose their abilities. Symptoms include headaches, burning eyes, image blurring, inability and unwillingness to work for extended periods, and stress.

THE BODY: Statistics from the University of British Columbia show how vulnerable certain parts of dentists' bodies are:

The body is not "designed" to remain bent over for hours on end. Static, often twisted positioning causes micro-injuries to muscles, joints, and ligaments. Daily damage accumulates faster than the body can repair, leading to chronic pain in the back, neck, shoulders, and arms.

Many practitioners accept bending, stretching, twisting, and other unnatural body positions, along with the resulting pain, as a normal part of their work. It doesn’t have to be this way. Loupes free you from the need to lean forward to see something more clearly up close. An ergonomically correct working position significantly reduces strain on the back, neck, and eyes, protecting the user’s health and career longevity. 

QUALITY: Reducing discomfort and improving visual acuity bring additional benefits. These include the ability to work more efficiently and deliver higher quality care to patients. Feedback from dentists shows that they notice a significant improvement compared to their previous work level and would never give up this advantage.

THREE REASONS TO CHOOSE LOUPES FROM US

1. Professional consultation and service;
2. All types of loupes and lighting;
3. Best price-to-quality balance.

We are opticians/optometrists and have been working daily for almost 25 years with people who require optical vision correction. Our long-term experience in companies such as Essilor and Zeiss has allowed us to gain expertise in standard optical vision care as well as in magnifying optical instruments for professionals and individuals with impaired vision.

We provide full service related to the purchase of loupes, with the entire procedure conducted in our optical center, without the need to visit other specialists.

We have all types of loupes, magnifications, and lighting available for testing.

On-site, we precisely determine your diopter, which is important to integrate into the loupes. Almost no one has perfect vision without any diopter or minor astigmatism. If this is overlooked or measured inaccurately, the loupe amplifies the inaccuracy. For instance, if you choose a loupe with 4x magnification, the diopter error will also be magnified 4 times, leading to a blurry image.

We then perform precise measurements using a digital device to assess interpupillary distance, centering height, and vertex distance for the user. This is done after selecting the most suitable frame for mounting the loupes and ensuring it fits the face correctly. Even minor errors here can lead to an uncomfortable position during use or a failure to merge the images from both eyes.

Finally, we determine the distance at which you typically work. This also has specific requirements depending on the type of loupe chosen.

This entire process is absent in cheap Asian loupes, and for popular brands, it is not performed by an eye specialist, which later prevents the full potential of the product from being utilized.

The glasses are delivered within 30 days, and upon delivery, we provide full information (including video materials) on their proper maintenance.

We are the official representative in Bulgaria for dental loupes by the Israeli company "Admetec." These are handcrafted personalized products available in nearly 50 countries worldwide. The high-quality lenses are produced by the Japanese global leader in optics, "Fujitok." All loupes feature "TTL" (Through The Lens) mounting. This ensures a significantly wider field of view, system stability, and the ability to work directly after putting on the glasses, without any adjustments needed.

The company's portfolio includes all types of loupes:

• Galilean: with magnifications of 2.5x, 2.7x, and 3.2x

Combined with a titanium frame, the weight is only 43 grams. The working distance can be chosen between 30 and 60 cm.

The best choice for those who have no experience with magnifying glasses and are looking for a wide field of view and greater focus range. Extremely compact loupes. Quick adaptation.

• Prismatic (Keplerian): with magnifications of 4x, 4.8x, and 5.5x

The weight is only 58 grams. The field of view does not decrease with higher magnifications. Clear "edge-to-edge" image without changes in color perception. Working distance from 35 to 55 cm.

• Ergonomic: with magnifications of 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 7.5x, and 10x

Uniquely lightweight at 51 grams. Compact, allowing you to look beyond them while using. Provides an ergonomic, relaxing body position. Working distance: 35 - 70 cm.

All loupes can be made with an individual working distance with a step of 1cm.

The main lens can have a diopter so you can see under or over the loupe at close or far distances.

Each parameter of the glasses can be changed over time. For example, if you decide that you need higher magnification or a different working distance, this can be adjusted without the need to order completely new glasses.

Each loupe can be equipped with a light. It can be wireless or wired. The wired version weighs only 9g, and the light intensity can be adjusted. Depending on the type of loupe, the maximum light intensity values range from 80k to 220k LUX. It comes with 2 batteries, each providing up to 6 hours of operation. The cable is attached to the frame's handle with a special clip to avoid interference during work.

The wireless "Butterfly" light weighs 24g and has a maximum light intensity between 35k and 55k LUX. It comes with 3 batteries, each lasting for 2 hours. Light control is achieved by tapping the battery.

All lighting systems include a yellow filter and homogeneous dense light with a color temperature of 5750K.

Looking into the patient's mouth is difficult, but sometimes it's even harder to explain to someone exactly what you see. That’s why "Admetec" offers the possibility of combining the loupe with the specially designed "Flamingo" camera.

Flamingo allows you to:

• To document your work and share it with someone;
• Training colleagues and students, where you can demonstrate visually in real-time what you are explaining;
• To enhance your patients' confidence by answering any questions they may have using cutting-edge technology;

The camera is equipped with light, which overlaps to fall parallel in the observation plane. This ensures high-quality recording without shadows.

As a manufacturer of magnifying glasses, the company understands that every gram of weight is significant. That's why Flamingo weighs only 19 grams.

The camera's focus can be manually adjusted to the preferred distance or set to auto-focus.

There is specially developed software for processing the recordings.