Dental loupes come in different magnifications. They can range from 2x to 8x. By magnifying the working area for the dentist or hygienist, the provider can avoid leaning forward or arching their backs and spine.
Traditional dental loupes have a telescope that is axially aligned in a linear fashion. They are either cemented to protective eyewear or connected to a flip up/flip down apparatus on the eyewear. There are some advantages and disadvantages to either. The cemented loupes also known as thru-the-lens (TTL) are mounted at a declining angle and close to the providers eyes. This gives a larger field of view, yet the provider could only look down so far. The weight of the TTL could only allow it to be cemented at a certain angle. Typically it can range from 0 degrees with no declination to 45 degrees of declination.
The traditional flip up/flip down loupes provide a higher declination angle. However, since it is further away from the eyes, the field of view is smaller. They are somewhat balanced between higher declination angle with lower field of view, or lower declination angle with higher field of view between the two traditional loupes. To compensate for this, the provider typically has to lean forward, placing their head in a forward position to obtain that 60 degrees view of the working area.
In this forward head posture, musculoskeletal issues develop. The head weighs between 8 to 11 lbs and with such strain on the neck and back muscles for hours can create pain and aches. The spine is also bent and can displace disc. Overtime, if this is not corrected, it may become so severe that it is irreversible and cause nerve damage and neck pain.
Of course, intermittent stretching can help alleviate some muscle aches. But the etiology of this situation is the ergonomics.
The next generation dental loupes is being delivered by Hero Loupes, LLC. It delivers large field of view while keeping the head, neck and eyes in an ergonomic position, which means the most efficient and productive posture.
The provider can choose between the Next Generation TTL or Flip Up/Flip Down version. when using Hero Loupes, the provider can sit upright with their head, neck and spine aligned and their eyes looking straight ahead. As they view their our optics and prisms, the image displayed is not one would be able to see even with maximum eye declination. In other words, the provider has expanded their peripheral view below. This allows our provider to perform in an ergonomic and healthy way.
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