4 Benefits of Wearing Loupes
Imagine working with a scratched patient mouth mirror. The scratches on the mirror prevent the clinician from easily evaluating the oral cavity. Therefore, the clinician’s eyes are left straining to identify the details needed to diagnose the patient. Like a scratched mirror, clinicians working without magnification are often left straining their eyes. Wearing loupes decreases the clinician’s eye strain and overall stress on the body.
As a practicing clinician myself, I’ve identified first-hand the many benefits to the body that are a result of wearing visualization:
1. Improved Vision
Wearing loupes chairside improves clarity, focus, and visibility that allows the clinician to identify conditions before they progress. Once missed by the naked eye, the clinician is now equipped with enhanced vision to detect disease earlier than he or she would have before. Additionally, the improved vision enables the clinician to have a better procedural outcome.
2. Improved Ergonomics
Dental clinicians often experience back, neck and shoulder damage from prolonged poor posture brought on by struggling to see the patient’s mouth. Clinicians working without magnification tend to lean towards the patient or sit in positions that allow them to get closer to the patient – but this typically involve twisting the torso in unnatural ways. Clinicians that wear loupes tend to have a more upright posture, which puts less stress and strain on the rest of the body. Having the ability to see the mouth more closely will increase the comfort of both the patient and the clinician.
3. Improved Patient Care
The use of loupes allows the clinician to perform procedures with greater precision and ease. Clinical research confirms magnification drives to less invasive, more conservative care. The identification of microscopic details may alter the treatment recommendations for the patient, which ultimately increases the trust of the patient.
4. Improved Stamina
Demanding schedules often have clinicians working eight to twelve hour days. While this is a great problem to have for business, the back-to-back appointments can cause the eyes to become ‘exhausted’ and strain to find focus. The use of magnification allows the clinician to have little to no eye strain while decreasing muscle stress – potentially resulting in less migraines and improved overall health.
Wearing custom fabricated loupes improves posture, decreases overall stress on the body and eyes and increases our productivity. Most importantly, it is in an investment in your overall health as well as in the quality care you provide for your patient.
