Flip Ups vs. Through the Lens Loupes (TTLs)

Marmite? Love it or hate it, it divides opinion. Choosing between flip ups and through the lens loupes (TTLs) can have the same affect. Especially for a first pair of loupes you will have probably heard fellow colleagues and class mates swear by both.

We are asked a lot “What is the difference?”. As it is such a personal choice depending on the individual’s specific needs it is very difficult to give a definitive answer. What we have done in this blog post is tried to clearly define the positives and negatives of both to give you some structure to your decision-making process.

Flip up loupes have been around for a long time and offer different benefits to that of TTL’s. Flip-ups can be mounted on an existing pair of prescription glasses, one of our frames, or a head band. The idea is the same for each – the optics are mounted on hinge system so that they can be adjusted easily and flipped up out of the way when not in use.

Advantages of Flip-Up Loupes

The loupe barrels can be flipped up out of the field of view of the user. The user can then have better facetime with their patients, clearly see computer screens, tools and charts with out the need to remove the loupes as you may have to with TTLs.

Angle of declination can be adjusted depending on the type of work being undertaken. As TTLs the optics are fixed in the frame then flip ups give a greater degree of flexibility if the user is undertaking tasks that require movement from a normal sitting position.
As flip ups require less customisation then they come with a lower price compared to TTL loupes.

Flip ups are highly adjustable and as such can be used between several people. This makes them an ideal choice of loupes to have as a training aid or in a setting where several people may be working with them.

Easy to change and replace – as flip-ups are not customised it is very easy to swap the magnification barrels for stronger/weaker ones, they are also very easy to repair as all the parts and components on them are replaceable and generic.

Disadvantages of Flip-Up Loupes

Due to the hinge mechanism on the frames and the larger optics the flip up loupes will be heavier than a pair of TTL’s. The fact that the weight of the unit sits primarily on the bridge of the frame will make the unit feel front heavy.

The field of view will be reduced as the optical barrels are sitting further away from your pupil. The slight increase in distance will mean that the working area is slightly reduced where compared to a similar level of magnification on a pair of TTLs.

Adjusting flip-up loupes often needs to be done on a regular basis to ensure a single image is achieved where as TTL’s never need adjusting once they are made.

TTL loupes are a technological step forward from flip ups. They produced the same result when working under magnification but offer a more comfortable and quality pair of loupes. The optics are mounted within the carrier lens and are built to a very high specification based on several measurements taken form the client’s eyes and head shape.

Advantages of TTL loupes

TTL loupes do not require a hinge mechanism and can be built into smaller barrels making them much lighter weight. TTL loupes have the optics built into the carrier lens which means you don’t have the frontal weight compared to a pair of flip ups. In all this makes TTLs very aesthetically pleasing.

Each pair of loupes is fully bespoke to the individual’s facial features. We take several measurements including interpupillary distance, ear/nose height, face width and working distance amongst others. This enables us to build the most ergonomically pair of loupes for the individual that will require no adjustments and enable the best possible working position.

As the barrels of TTL loupes sit much closer to the eyes then the depth and width of view through the loupes is greatly increased compared to a pair of flip up loupes.

Disadvantages of TTL Loupes:

As these loupes are personalised for individuals it is not often possible to share them with colleagues. It is also difficult to send ‘demo’ loupes as it wouldn’t always be possible to send you exact specification. If a demo paired of TTLs would be required, then we would send you a best fit but would ask if you would remember that it would be a true representation of what a bespoke pair of loupes would be like.

As TTL loupes are built to a much higher specification requiring multiple manufacturing processes the price for these loupes is higher than a pair of flip up loupes.

If you wish to increase your level of magnification in years to come this won’t be possible as the loupes and optics are bespoke/customised and cannot be easily changed. It would usually be a case of buying a new pair of loupes.

Hopefully this has provided you with some information that will facilitate your choice in what loupes you require. To Help with the decision-making process, at UKloupes we can send some demo loupes for you to try on a 10 day risk-free trial period in what ever specification you would like. We also offer a 30-day money back or adjustment guarantee then means once you have your loupes from us you still have plenty of options available to you. For further information or reassurance, get in touch or take a look at what our customers have to say!