Home.....

Frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between the Pro Fiberoptic LED Otoscope and a traditional otoscope that uses a halogen bulb?

The patent pending design of the Pro Fiberoptic LED Otoscope is the first professional fiberoptic otoscope to ever make use of a LED light source. The biggest advantage of an LED light source over all the other otoscopes on the market which use halogen (incandescent) light sources is that the LED bulb contains no fragile filament that can be easily damaged and or burn out over time. The LED light source lasts essentially forever and will not be damaged by rough handling, dropping, or sudden movement. The LED light source is also much brighter and consists of full spectrum light instead of the yellowish light found in all incandescent light sources.

What color is the light from the LED otoscope?

The LED emits a full spectrum light. This appears as a white light with a slight bluish tint. Full spectrum light is the the same spectrum of light that is emitted by sunshine. Full spectrum light will give you the most true appearance of an object viewed under it. There is a very good explanation about the advantages of full spectrum light on the OTT-LITE® website at  http://www.ott-lite.com  The OTT-LITE® was specifically developed for hobbyist who needed full spectrum light similar to sunshine to get the most accurate and truest color from the objects they were working with.

Pro Fiberoptic LED Otoscopes with full spectrum led light sources will give you a truer color representation of the eardrum and ear canal structures than any other otoscope on the market today.

Side Note: If you are a medical professional then you have spent your entire career using an otoscope with an incandescent light source. The light from our LED otoscope is full spectrum and slightly different in color than your usual otoscope. Our full spectrum light color is very similar to the light color from the OTT light pictured above on the left. The full spectrum light will be much less yellow and appear white with a slight bluish tint. This lack of yellow color in the light will make the eardrum appear slightly different than what you have grown accustomed. What you will see with our otoscope is actually the true tissue color of the eardrum as it would appear if you could place natural sunshine into the ear canal and view the eardrum with magnification. 

How does the brightness of the LED light compare to the light from the  professional type halogen otoscopes?

Our LED otoscope is brighter when measured with a photometer than a similar halogen type fiberoptic otoscope, yet it burns cool and uses 1:50th the amount of power.

How long will the LED light last before it will need replacing?

The LED light source is warranted by us for life. If you left the LED light source turned on and running continuously it would burn for 25 years before it would need replacing. It would also maintain its same brightness during these 25 years of continuous use before it finally died and went black. The light from a Halogen otoscope begins degrading first time you use it. Many professionals recommend changing to a new bulb after every 20 hours of use because of this. See link that follows. http://www.fpnotebook.com/ENT/Exam/OtscpExm.htm (see II. Preparation B.)

Will rough handling or dropping of the LED light cause it to burn out prematurely?

The LED light source does not contain a fragile filament as does all the  incandescent light sources found on all other otoscopes on the market today. One of the greatest advantages of having an LED light source is that the LED bulb is almost indestructible when it comes to dropping the otoscope or handling it roughly in any way. This is not the case with all other otoscopes on the market because they all use incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs contain a fragile filament that burns hot. These bulbs are easily damaged with any rough handling or sudden movements. These bulbs also need routine replacement over time similar to the bulb in your table lamp at home which is also an incandescent bulb. The bulbs are also very expensive to replace, costing $25-$30 for the most common brand of otoscopes found in the US today.

What is the magnification of the otoscope lens?

Our otoscope lens uses between a 3x- 4x magnification. We use the same magnification and focal length as the standard Welch Allyn® otoscope. We actually used their lens as our prototype when developing our otoscope. We figured they have been around for over 100 years and are the leading manufacturer of otoscopes in the world today and would be our best guide to what the optimum magnification and focal length should be. Our lens is built from scratch resistant optical quality glass. The W/A lens is made from acrylic plastic.

Is higher magnification always better?

Bigger is not always better when it comes to looking in the ear at the eardrum. The key to finding the proper magnification is to deliver enough magnification that you are able to get a clear picture of the eardrum as a whole yet at the same time magnify it enough to see the details that are important when doing your exam. If you over magnify you can see very clear details of a small area but you are unable to get a clear picture of the entire eardrum. Again, we allowed Welch Allyn® to decide what is the optimum magnification and focal length to use and then had our lens manufacturer use these same values when creating our lens.

What type batteries does the Pro LED Fiberoptic Otoscope use, and will re-chargeable's also work?

2 Readily available standard C cell batteries. Rechargeable C cell batteries also work well with our otoscope. If you purchase 2 sets of rechargeable batteries then you will never be without the use of your otoscope. The same can not be said for the W/A brand. You have to unscrew the handle and stick it in an electric socket to recharge it. There is no option to even use a regular type battery with the W/A otoscope even in an emergency.

Will all brands of disposable specula work with the Pro Fiberoptic LED Otoscope?

Yes, all disposable specula brands found in the USA and Europe work well. We also sell them on our website www.otoscopespecula.com

Is it difficult for parents to learn to do ear exams?

This is one of those questions that has two answers....yes and no. The key to doing ear exams is practice. It is important to begin doing otoscope exams on a willing adult as opposed to a child. The ear canals are larger and the eardrum is easier to see in an adult. The key is to look into as many adult ear canals as possible to get a feel for what normal eardrum looks like. When you visualize an eardrum that is red, has fluid behind it, or is simply abnormal you will quickly recognize this.

The old saying practice makes perfect could not apply more to any situation than it does to doing ear exams.

It is also always important to always go slow and never ever force or pry the otoscope in an ear canal in any way shape or form. Always look to see what is in front of you through the viewing window of the otoscope before advancing it into an ear canal. Never push the specula tip into the ear canal unless you have a clear view that there is nothing in front of you.

Realize that in some children and even adults it is impossible to see the eardrum. Some children and even adults have very small ear canals and/or also filled with earwax and debris which make it impossible to see the eardrum. Even as a physician it is impossible to see into some ears.

It is also advisable especially with pediatric exams to get the help of your local pediatrician. Many pediatricians today are very supportive of home ear exams and recognize the value of parents being able to monitor for the earliest signs of ear infection or earwax occlusion that can cause hearing loss and at times even affect the speech development in young children if not recognized early.

30 Day Money Back Guarantee
No risk trial of your Dr Mom Otoscope®
......We are so sure you will love having your own Dr Mom Otoscope®
 we offer 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are not happy with your otoscope just return it anytime within 30 days for a complete satisfaction guaranteed refund less s/h/ins. Otoscopes sent with free s/h/ins that are returned will be less the normal s/h/ins fee.

Lifetime Warranty
Doctor Mom Otoscope carries a lifetime guaranty against defects in workmanship. Should the unit fail to function under conditions of normal use, simply return the unit and it will be repaired or replaced free of charge. This guaranty also covers the LED bulb. The warranty does exclude units that exhibit signs of use or abuse beyond normal and sensible wear and tear.