The first factor to consider is the working distance that you feel comfortable working at. For example, a person who is 5′ 6″ tall is going to have a shorter working distance than someone who is 6′6″ tall. You need to find the optimal distance away from the patient you prefer to work at. Here is an example of how someone in the dental field would choose their working distance.

After finding a suitable ergonomic position, you simply take a tape measure and measure the distance between your eyes and the patient.

The depth of field is the next factor to consider. The depth of field is another way of saying the safe viewing distance that the loupes will remain in focus. Which means you will be able to move closer and further away from the patient without your loupes losing focus.

Dental Loupe Magnification is the next factor that must be considered. There is a wide variety when it comes to magnification level of your loupes, with levels ranging from 2.5x magnification all the way up to 6.0x magnification for most standard surgical and dental loupes. When starting out with your first pair of loupes it is typically suggested to start with a low magnification such as a 2.5x or 3.0x since adjusting to loupes is easier if the magnification is lower.

Field of view is another factor that should be considered when buying a pair of loupes. With lower magnification comes a larger field of view and makes it easier to adjust to wearing loupes. With higher magnification the filed of view is reduced and is suggested for only those who have worn loupes in past and are confident with a smaller field of view.