So, you've decided to purchase your first set of PENTAX Loupes – welcome to the world of better posture, broad field of view and a more precise image! The next step is to understand the best way to take care of them.
As with all products, the way we clean, store and handle our loupes is paramount to the longevity of their life and use.
The first thing to note is that Pentax Loupes are prismatic and deflective, the latter being the technology that keeps your posture straight. When handling and caring for them, we need to understand that the prismatic loupes need some extra love and care.
Cleaning
You'll need some cotton buds, a lens cleaning cloth, alcohol wipes, and some neutral detergent to get started.
Common sense prevails – the loupes cannot be soaked in cleaning solution or submerged in water.
Using an alcohol wipe, gently wipe the frame of the loupes to remove contamination and oils; you'll need to pay particular attention to the forehead area.
Next, using a cotton bud and some neutral detergent, clean the nose pad to remove oil and makeup. Keeping this area clean will remove contaminants such as makeup which cause the soft, comfortable rubber to degrade, and you'll need to replace the nose pad.
Once you've finished with the nose pad, using a dry cotton bud, wipe the objective and eyepiece lenses with a gentle, circular motion, using a new cotton bud for each lens.
Finally, using a standard lens cleaning cloth, wipe the lenses over to remove dust, oils and fingerprints.
If you find your lenses regularly fog up, you can use anti-fog wipes like Clear-it from our store.
Storage
Pentax provides a soft leather case. If you're working in one clinic and not travelling with your loupes, this case is perfectly sufficient.
It's recommended to keep this case in a storage cupboard or drawer, and when you no longer need to use the loupes (or in between patients), place the loupes in this case.
"If they are not on your face, they are in the case!"
We cannot stress enough that leaving your loupes on a bench or table only increases the risk of potential damage. They are more likely to be dropped or knocked off the surface this way.
Although Pentax provides a soft case, Osseo Group has a custom-made hard case available for purchase.
This is not a Pentax product, and it's not a requirement to have one; however, I like to compare it to using an iPhone. We add a screen protector or a rugged phone case to help protect our product from damage. The hard case works in the same way. It will provide greater protection when storing or carrying your loupes in between clinics or attending courses.
If you would like to order a hard storage case, check it out on our store.
Handling
Handling your loupes with care is essential. As with any high-class medical equipment, we need to make sure they are handled correctly, and the manufacturer instructions are followed.
As mentioned earlier, the primary way to care for and handle your loupes correctly is to store them in a case when not in use.
Placing the loupes on a hard surface not only raises the risk of dropping them or knocking them off the surface but placing them down too hard can cause damage.
Remember, any undue force applied can cause the lenses to crack or dislodge – this does not happen spontaneously.
Pentax loupes look like flip-up loupes; THEY ARE NOT!
As creatures of habit, we understand that this is likely something you do with your current flip model loupes. However, the Pentax hinge is designed to control your angle of declination.
Lastly, the Pupil Distance on the loupes is already set for you, based on your measurements. There is no need to change this setting once you have received the loupes. Pentax uses software to set your pupil distance, and once you move this, we won't be able to set it back to the precise position previously set.
If you have any questions regarding your Pentax loupes, get in touch with your account rep or give us a call at 1300 029 383.