Let’s say that you have been using your microscope on a regular basis for years with no issue until suddenly your eyes start bothering you every time you finish looking through your ‘scope. Is it just that you are getting old? Probably not. The cause of your eye strain is likely due to misaligned optics in your microscope. Unfortunately, misaligned optics can’t be fixed at home, but Absolute Clarity is available to correct the problem for you.
So what causes these alignment issues and how can you fix them? Read on to find out.
Causes of optical misalignment
Reasons for your misalignment may be tied to how you move the oculars, taking pictures through to your eyepiece tubes, improper carrying or dropping the microscope. When adjusting the inter-pupillary distance (how far apart the eyepieces are) make sure you are moving the eye tubes close to the body of the scope. To eliminate the second cause, never attached a camera to the eye tube, camera should only be attached to a trinocular port. When moving your microscope, you should never lift it by the stage or head. Always lift by the “neck” of the stand with your second hand under the base. If you have to ship your microscope, we recommend putting it in a sealed plastic bag, and then wrapping it in bubble wrap and packing it with Styrofoam peanuts in a box with plenty of room for additional cushioning. You can check out our complete packing and shipping instructions here.
Winging It
If you feel that your microscope is out of alignment, then you need to fix it, but unless you are an experienced and seasoned professional, it can be difficult to make sure that it is done right on your own. To reiterate, you should never attempt to realign the optics of a microscope on your own, but making adjustments to the stage is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged.
Do yourself a favor and consult the user’s manual prior to making any adjustments to your microscope. Under no circumstance should you ever use force to tighten or move any piece of your microscope, and if you’re not completely comfortable with making adjustments, call in professional help with your preventative maintenance or alignment.
Go Dust-Free
Have you consulted your manual and made all the proper alignment changes but you are still feeling the effects of eye strain? Then you may just need to complete some cleaning. The first step is making sure to keep the lens and eyepieces on your scope dust and dirt free. Our optical cleaning kit is the perfect solution for making sure your microscope view is clean and clear. Avoid any future dust issues by keeping a cover over your microscope whenever it is not in use or storing it in a case.
If you’ve tried making adjustments and discovered you still can’t solve your issues or you know that there’s a problem with your microscope, look no further than the experts at Absolute Clarity & Calibration. Our microscope repair and maintenance services will make your microscope look and work just like new once again. We offer everything from mechanical and electrical repairs to complete refurbishments and retrofit manufacturing for older equipment in our machine shop. Learn more or schedule service today by calling us at 860-583-0502.