Tips to get the best from your microscope

I do a fair amount of dermatology in our practice, so I use the microscope on a regular basis. I recently came across these top tips to keep your microscope in good working order, so thought I’d share them.

1. Keep the scope clean. Twice-daily cleaning is ideal – along with cleaning whenever the scope is used. In addition, it’s helpful to have the scope professionally cleaned and lubricated once or twice a year. It will make a huge difference in the functionality of your instrument.
2. Keep the scope covered when not in use. All hospitals tend to be dusty and have hair floating about, which can damage the scope.
3. Use a different microscope for faecal examinations. Faecal solutions (sugars, salt solutions, etc) are quite caustic if they come in contact with the microscope lens or get “spilled” onto the slide platform.
4. Adjust the scope (at least once daily) for Köhler illumination. This will help to “focus” your scope for use.

However, after reading through these, I realise it’s a case of “doing what I say and not what I do” – so I’m off to give the microscope a good clean!

References
Noxon J O (2015). Cytology and Cultures Successful Tips and Techniques to try tomorrow, Small Animal and Exotics Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, Florida.