What You Need To Know About Used Ophthalmic Equipment

By Lela Perkins


Many optometrists find it challenging to run a successful eye care practice. One reason for this is that ophthalmic technology, equipment and instrumentation keep on changing. Ophthalmic devices are very expensive and it is hard to buy every new device in the market. Fortunately you can get necessary instruments if you consider purchasing used ophthalmic equipment.

Many eye care professionals have now realized that they can use second hand instruments in the same manner that they use new instruments to treat patients. Used devices are cost effective and you should not be afraid of buying them just because there is a stigma attached to buying second hand machines.

If the second hand instruments you want to buy are inspected by a technician, you can rest assured that they will function very well. Purchasing second hand instruments will help you save money that you can use for other things in your business such as office decoration, hiring staff and other things.

Office decor is important because it displays the level of class and professionalism of your practice. It can boost the confidence of your clients. With more staff in your practice, you can be able to provide your customers with many of the services they need. Opting for cheaper second hand machines allows you to spread your budget to cater for all aspects of your optometry practice.

Basically, there are three options to choose from when purchasing second hand instruments. One of them is buying items that another practice has been using. The main disadvantage of this option is that the instruments do not come with a warranty. The second option is buying refurbished instruments and the third one is buying remanufactured instruments. This applies mostly to high end eye care devices, which are reconditioned and placed back into the market.

In order for devices to be remanufactured, they are dismantled, repaired and rebuilt to meet the original specifications of the manufacturer and then reassembled. The end result is a used machine that is as good as new but is sold at a price that is much lower than that of a new machine. The common devices that undergo the remanufacturing process are those which are more than two years old.

The refurbishing process is usually performed on devices that are not older than two years by either a manufacturer or equipment dealer. It involves the clean up of devices and the replacement of broken or missing components. Unlike remanufacturing, this process does not involve tearing down and rebuilding the devices. Therefore, refurbished instruments may appear to be older than the remanufactured ones.

After deciding which kind of used instruments to buy, you should then decide where to purchase them. You can opt to buy instruments from professionals who purchase devices from retiring eye care professionals. They usually sell high quality used instruments.

The other good option is to visit auction sites that offer high quality second hand ophthalmic devices and choose the items you need. When buying instruments for your practice, it is wise to ask for relevant documents for the instruments. It is also wise to ensure that the prices of the used ophthalmic equipment match the quality of the devices.




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