One of the initial questions that you may ask to yourself and to the surgical loupe manufacturers when shopping is "Which type of loupe should I purchase?". There is actually no specific rule in choosing which type of loupe you should purchase. 

Every user needs a unique kind of surgical magnification loupe. Picking the type of surgical loupes is more based on your personal preference and your priorities as well. This means that what works for you may not work for other surgeons. For instance, you may give more priority to the design and price of the loupes while others may think that comfort and weight should be given more importance.

Factors to take into consideration

There are different factors that you need to take into account when picking the right surgical loupes. These factors include:

 - Working Distance
 - Magnification Power
- Field of View
- Depth of Field
- Weight
- Frame Style and Design
- Interpupillary Distance
- Angle of Declination

You also need to decide on what type of surgical optical loupes to choose. There are basically two types of loupes: the through the lens or TTL loupes and the flip up loupes. Both types of loupes have some similarities especially in terms of functionality and ergonomics. However, they also differ from each other in many ways. If you want to know the detailed information about the major differences between these two types of loupes, you can read our blog post here.

Quality of optics

You must also be aware that quality of optics is very important. The quality of optics greatly varies according to the manufacturers' standards. All manufacturers will claim that their products are made with the highest quality lens available in the market. However, be mindful that not all of these manufacturers offer the same quality optics.  Just because they state that their products are the best in the industry would automatically mean it's true.

Although manufacturers rarely mention what kind of optical lens they are using, it pays to ask them ahead of time what is its country of origin. As of the moment, the highest quality optical lens is made from Germany. 

Just in case the manufacturer will not disclose this information, you can use your own judgment in identifying the quality of optics. High-quality optics provide the highest resolution. They do not produce color and optical distortion. They are usually manufactured with layers of coatings which helps enhance light transmission and produce a brighter image.

Final note

Whichever you think is more fitting to your needs and preference can be a good choice. However,  you must keep in mind that surgical optical loupes are an expensive long term investment. You will be using it on a regular basis, if not every single day, during your years of practice. You must consider buying the one that you are comfortable working with and the one that is more appropriate for the procedures you will perform. Make sure that the one you will choose does not only have high-quality optics but will also perfectly fit you.