Quick Answer: The Slit Lamp Microscope is an eye-examination instrument that combines an adjustable narrow slit of bright light with a low-power microscope, letting the examiner view the cornea, anterior chamber, iris and lens in optical section. A slit lamp microscope is a core instrument in optometry and ophthalmology training.

How a Slit Lamp Examines the Eye

A slit lamp projects a thin, bright blade of light into the eye. Because the cornea and lens are transparent, the slit lights up a thin optical section through them, rather like a slice, and the microscope views that section from an angle. Changing the slit width, height and angle, and swinging the illumination arm relative to the microscope, lets the examiner judge depth: whether a mark sits on the corneal surface, within it, or deeper in the lens.

The person being examined rests chin and forehead against a frame to keep the head still, and the examiner moves the combined microscope and light unit with a control lever to bring each structure into focus. Blue light with fluorescein dye reveals scratches on the cornea, and a green filter improves the contrast of blood vessels; which filters are fitted to this model is not stated in the listing.

The listing does not state medical-device registration either. Buyers intending to use the instrument for patient care should confirm that it meets the regulatory requirements of their country before ordering; for teaching optics and examination technique it serves as a training instrument.

Specifications

Applications

• Teaching slit lamp technique to optometry and ophthalmology students
• Practising illumination methods such as diffuse, direct focal and retro-illumination
• Demonstrating optical sections of the cornea and lens in optics classes
• Training in fluorescein staining of the corneal surface, where a blue filter is fitted

Care & Handling

• Clean the chin rest and forehead band of the slit lamp microscope between users with a suitable disinfectant wipe, and change chin-rest paper if used.
• Cover the instrument when not in use; dust on the slit mechanism and mirror shows as specks in the beam.
• Replace the lamp only with the type specified for the instrument, after switching off and letting it cool.
• Lock the base before moving the table, so the instrument does not run off its track.

Why Choose LabEquip

Optometry colleges, ophthalmology training departments and paramedical institutes teaching eye examination buy slit lamps for their skills labs. It is listed in the LabEquip Microscope & Optics range alongside the Zoom Operating Microscope, Eye (Floor Model); discuss your training set-up on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a slit lamp show that a torch does not?

A narrow slit of light cuts an optical section through the transparent cornea and lens, and the microscope magnifies it. That reveals depth, so the examiner can tell whether a mark lies on the surface or deeper inside the eye.

What is the chin rest for?

It holds the head steady at the right position in front of the microscope. Even small head movements shift the eye out of focus at slit lamp magnifications.

Why are different slit widths used?

A wide beam gives a general, diffuse view of the eye’s surface, while a narrow slit gives a thin optical section for judging depth and transparency. Examiners switch between them during an examination.

What is fluorescein used for with a slit lamp?

Fluorescein dye collects in scratches and defects on the corneal surface and glows green under blue light. It is a standard teaching exercise, carried out with sterile single-use strips.

Can this slit lamp be used for patient examinations?

The listing does not state medical-device registration. Anyone planning patient use should confirm the regulatory status required in their country before ordering; otherwise it can be used for teaching and practice.

How should the instrument be cleaned between students?

Wipe the chin rest, forehead band and handles with a disinfectant wipe, and clean the eyepieces with lens tissue. Keep liquid away from the lamp housing and electrical parts.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The USB Microscope is a compact digital microscope that plugs into a computer’s USB port and shows a magnified live image of an object on the computer screen. A USB microscope is used for examining and photographing surfaces such as insects, leaves, coins, fabrics, rocks and circuit boards.

How a USB Microscope Works

At heart this is a small camera with a close-focusing lens, usually with its own built-in lights around the lens. The computer powers it through the cable and displays the image in camera or microscope software, where stills and short videos can be saved. Because it looks at the surface of an object, it needs no slide and no light from below, which makes it quick for opaque things such as a coin, a mineral specimen or a printed circuit.

Magnification figures quoted for such devices depend on the size of the screen and are not comparable with the optical magnification of a compound instrument. For cells on a prepared slide, a conventional microscope still shows far more detail. The listing does not state the sensor resolution, magnification range, stand type or software, so check computer compatibility before ordering.

It is a handy way to look closely at specimens from the rocks and minerals range; to add imaging to an existing microscope instead, see the Camera Eyepiece with LCD Screen.

Applications

• Examining insects, seeds, leaves and flowers in primary and middle-school science
• Looking at rock and mineral textures and crystal faces
• Inspecting solder joints and printed circuit boards in electronics labs
• Studying fabrics, paper fibres, coins and print quality

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Hold the USB microscope steady in its stand when capturing; hand-holding at high magnification blurs the image.
• Clean the front lens with a soft brush or lens tissue only, and keep it clear of liquids and wet specimens.
• Unplug by the connector rather than pulling the cable, and coil the cable loosely for storage.
• Keep the device in its box or a pouch to protect the lens from scratches.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary and secondary schools, science clubs and electronics workshops choose this device for quick, shareable views on a computer or projector. It is listed in the LabEquip Microscope & Optics range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a USB microscope work with any computer?

Many work as a standard USB camera, but support varies between models and operating systems. Check that the software or driver suits your computers before ordering a class set.

Can it show cells?

Only large cells, and not in the detail a compound microscope gives. It is designed for the surfaces of solid objects; for onion cells or bacteria, use a slide under a conventional microscope.

Why are advertised magnifications so high?

Magnification for these devices is often quoted as the size on a large screen compared with the real object, which inflates the number. Judge a model by the detail it actually resolves, not the figure on the box.

Can I use it with a projector for a class?

Yes. Connect the computer to a projector or large display and the whole class sees the live image. It is a quick way to show an insect or a mineral to a group.

How do I focus it?

Focus is usually set by turning a ring on the body or by moving the device closer to or further from the object. Start at the lowest setting, find the object, then adjust gradually.

Is it suitable for young children?

Yes, with supervision. It needs no slides or glass, and the image appears on a screen, which is easier for children than closing one eye at an eyepiece.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Profile Projector, Student, 200mm is a teaching optical comparator that throws a magnified silhouette of a small component onto a viewing screen, where its outline can be measured or compared with a chart. On a 200mm profile projector of this kind, the size figure normally refers to the screen diameter.

Measuring by Shadow

A profile projector shines light past a small part placed on its stage and projects the shadow through a lens onto a translucent screen at a known magnification. Because the outline is enlarged, a thread form, gear tooth, radius or chamfer that is hard to judge by eye becomes easy to compare with a template chart or to measure against the screen’s reference lines. Nothing touches the part, so soft, thin or delicate components are not deformed during checking.

In the listing, ‘Student’ marks this as a teaching model and 200mm is the size figure. A smaller screen limits how much of a magnified outline can be seen at once, which is usually fine for training exercises with small turned parts, screws and springs. The listing does not state the magnification lenses, stage travel or measuring readout, so check those against the syllabus exercises. LabEquip also lists a 300mm student model with a larger screen.

For measuring individual features rather than whole outlines, the Tool Maker Microscope is the related instrument.

Applications

• Teaching non-contact inspection in mechanical engineering and polytechnic metrology labs
• Checking screw thread form and pitch against a template chart
• Comparing gear tooth profiles and radii with overlay charts
• Inspecting small pressed or moulded parts for burrs and outline defects

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Keep the stage glass and screen of the 200mm profile projector free of fingerprints; smudges on the stage show as shadows in the projection.
• Switch the lamp off between exercises and let it cool before covering the instrument.
• Place parts gently on the stage glass and never slide metal parts across it, as scratches become permanent marks in the image.
• Keep the room dim near the screen for clearer outlines, and store overlay charts flat.

Why Choose LabEquip

Polytechnics, engineering colleges and industrial training institutes that teach metrology buy student profile projectors for their measurement labs. This model is listed in the LabEquip Microscope & Optics range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a profile projector used for?

It checks the outline of small parts by projecting their magnified shadow onto a screen. The projected profile is compared with a chart or measured against reference lines, without touching the part.

What does 200mm refer to?

On profile projectors the size figure normally describes the diameter of the viewing screen. A 200mm screen shows a smaller area of the enlarged outline than a 300mm screen, which suits small parts and teaching exercises.

How is the magnification set?

Magnification comes from the projection lens in use, and many projectors accept interchangeable lenses. Choose the lens that keeps the feature fully on the screen while making it large enough to judge.

Why are overlay charts used?

A chart drawn at the projector’s magnification is placed on the screen, and the projected outline is compared with it. This quickly shows whether a thread form, radius or angle lies within the drawn limits.

What parts are unsuitable for a profile projector?

Parts too large for the stage or the lens field, and features hidden inside a part, cannot be shown as a silhouette. Transparent parts give weak outlines and need care with lighting.

How should the projector be set up in the lab?

Place it on a steady bench away from bright windows, so daylight does not wash out the screen. Students should sit square to the screen so they read outlines without parallax.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Junior Projection Microscope (Wall Screen) is a classroom microscope that projects an enlarged image of a specimen onto a wall or screen instead of into an eyepiece. The junior projection microscope lets a teacher show a slide to a whole class at once in school biology lessons.

How a Projection Microscope Shows a Class

A normal microscope forms its final image for one eye at a time. A projection microscope uses a bright lamp and projection optics to throw the magnified image onto a flat surface, where everyone in the room can see it. The teacher can then point to a cell wall, a nucleus or a moving protozoan on the wall while explaining, instead of queueing thirty pupils at an eyepiece.

Projected images are dimmer and less detailed than the eyepiece view, and brightness falls as the image is enlarged by moving the microscope further from the wall. A darkened room makes a large difference, and simple, well-stained slides such as onion epidermis, cheek cells or a leaf section project better than faint ones. The ‘Junior’ name marks it as a school microscope for demonstrations; the listing does not state the lamp type, objectives or projection distance, so those should be confirmed.

Where a screen on the bench is enough, the Projection Microscope with LCD Screen shows the image electronically instead.

Care & Handling

• Let the lamp of the junior projection microscope cool before moving or covering the instrument, as projection lamps run hot.
• Do not leave a slide under the lit lamp for long periods; heat dries out wet mounts and can fade stains.
• Keep the projection optics free of dust with a blower brush, since dust shows on the wall as dark blurs.
• Store it under a dust cover and keep a spare lamp of the correct type if the model uses replaceable bulbs.

Specifications

Applications

• Demonstrating plant and animal cells to a whole class before practical work
• Showing living pond organisms moving across the screen
• Revising slide identification together before examinations
• Science exhibitions and open evenings where many people watch at once

Why Choose LabEquip

School science departments and teacher training colleges buy a projection microscope to demonstrate slides to a full class. It is listed in the LabEquip Microscope & Optics range, and clear, well-stained prepared slides make the demonstrations easier to follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big can the projected image be?

Size depends on the distance from the microscope to the wall: further away gives a larger but dimmer image. Find the balance where the whole class can see detail clearly, and darken the room as much as possible.

Does the room need to be dark?

Yes, a darkened room makes the biggest difference to what pupils can see. Close curtains or blinds and switch off lights near the screen, leaving a little light at the back for note-taking.

Which slides project most clearly?

Clear, well-stained slides with large cells, such as onion epidermis, cheek cells stained with methylene blue, or a stained stem section. Very thin or faint specimens may not show on the wall.

Can living specimens be projected?

Yes, pond water and other wet mounts can be shown, but lamp heat dries them out, so work quickly and replace the mount if it dries. Moving organisms hold pupils’ attention well.

How is it different from a projection microscope with an LCD screen?

This model projects optically onto a wall, so the image can be large enough for a whole room. The LCD model shows a camera image on its own screen, which stays bright in a lit room but is smaller.

Why is the projected image blurred at the edges?

Focus is usually sharpest in the centre. Refocus while looking at the wall rather than the microscope, and check that the wall is square to the projected beam, since an angled surface blurs one side.

Last Updated: September 2026

Quick Answer: The Rotary Microtome, Erma Type is a handwheel-driven microtome, listed under the Erma pattern name, that cuts serial sections from paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. An Erma type rotary microtome is used to produce ribbons of thin sections for mounting and staining.

What Erma Type Means in the Listing

‘Erma type’ is a pattern name used in laboratory catalogues for a style of rotary microtome. The name tells you the family of instrument rather than a specification. The listing does not detail the section-thickness range, clamp or knife holder, so compare this model with LabEquip’s plain Rotary Microtome on those points before ordering.

Whatever the pattern, the working principle is shared by all rotary instruments. Turning the handwheel carries the block vertically past a fixed knife; the feed then advances the block by the chosen thickness, and the paraffin sections join edge to edge into a ribbon. The ribbon is floated on warm water, which relaxes compression, and picked up on slides in sequence so that serial order is kept.

The blocks it cuts come from tissue processing and embedding, for which LabEquip lists an Automatic Tissue Processor with Thermostat.

Applications

• Paraffin section cutting for histology practical classes
• Preparing serial sections of small organisms or embryos
• Sections for staining practice with haematoxylin and eosin or special stains
• Research projects that need modest numbers of paraffin sections

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Trim wax blocks cleanly before clamping them in the Erma type rotary microtome, since loose or chipped wax at the edges breaks the ribbon.
• Keep one soft brush for lifting sections and a separate one for sweeping away wax debris.
• Wind the block back from the knife and fit the guard before changing blades.
• Cover the microtome between sessions and check that the feed moves freely before each use.

Why Choose LabEquip

University and college histology labs that want a standard manual instrument for classes choose this Erma pattern model. It is listed in the LabEquip Microscope & Optics range; use the contact page to compare it with the plain handwheel model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Erma type mean?

It is a pattern name used in catalogues for a style of rotary microtome. It indicates the general design family rather than a specification, so compare thickness range and knife holder when choosing between models.

What is the correct way to face a new block?

Trim into the block with the coarse feed or a thick setting until the full face of the tissue is exposed, then change to the working thickness. Chilling the block face briefly on ice before cutting the sections you keep helps them come off cleanly.

Why float sections on a water bath?

Sections are slightly compressed and wrinkled as they leave the knife. Floating them on water a little below the melting point of the wax lets them expand and flatten before being picked up on a slide.

How do I keep sections in serial order?

Cut a continuous ribbon, lay it on a dark card or directly on the water bath in sequence, and pick up consecutive lengths onto numbered slides. Breaking the ribbon at marked points keeps the order clear.

What knife angle should be used?

The clearance angle between the knife and block face should be small, just enough to stop the block rubbing the back of the blade. Follow the setting marked on the knife holder, and adjust slightly if sections compress or skip.

What safety steps are needed when sectioning?

Lock or park the handwheel before touching the block or blade, keep the guard over the edge when not cutting, and never try to catch a falling blade. Dispose of used blades in a sharps container.

Last Updated: September 2026