Affordable Eye Exam Essentials: A Guide for Young Ophthalmologists (2025)

Starting in ophthalmology is thrilling, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. Building your toolkit for patient exams doesn’t have to break the bank. Today, plenty of affordable, high-quality essentials are available online that can complement clinic resources and help young ophthalmologists feel better prepared for daily practice.

Essential Eye Exam Tools You Can Buy Online

Here’s a breakdown of 6 smart eye exam toolsevery young ophthalmologist should consider:

1. Slit Lamp Lens and Indirect Lenses

If you have the opportunity, buy your own indirect and slit lamp lensesearly on.

Owning your own set ensures you're familiar with the optics and can practice anytime. Consider the new generation lenses when in doubt about which lens to get. They have improved coatings for better image quality and reduced glare, making a real difference during challenging exams.

(Coming soon from Ophthalmology24: A detailed review of the best lenses and why they are worth the investment!)

Meanwhile, check out those 2 other guides:

2. Pupil Gauge Penlight

This one is simple but essential: a good penlight to gauge the pupils and pupilary reactions is are true daily necessity for anterior segment and neuroophthalmological exams.

When buying a pen, aim for one with:

Many affordable brands offer penlights for under $10. Here are my recommendations:

Pro Tip: In my opinion, the best Pen lights for pupilary assessment are the ones with a flat tip; they tend to give a more focused cone of light compared to the ones with a bulged tip.

3. Eye Charts for Near Vision

Pocket-sized Snellen charts and pediatric charts are perfect for quick bedside visual acuity tests. Laminated versions are durable, easy to disinfect, and fit in your white coat pocket.

4. Smartphone Slit Lamp Adapter

Taking anterior segment photos has never been easier — or cheaper. Adapters like the SAGA Universal Smartphone Slit Lamp Adapterallow you to attach your phone directly to the slit lamp eyepiece.

Key features:

Pro Tip: Measure your slit lamp eyepiece before buying — most standard ophthalmology slit lamps fit 30–36 mmor 36–41 mmadapters.

❌ Do NOT buy Smartphone Slit Lamp Adapters made of plastic:

5. Anterior Segment Photography Accessories

For even better documentation, you can add a clip-on macro lensfor your smartphone. These small accessories boost your phone’s close-up capabilities, allowing better imaging of corneal lesions, conjunctival findings, and eyelid pathology.

Pro Tip: Look for macro adapters compatible with your smartphone model to avoid misalignment issues.

6. Ophthalmic Rulers

Ophthalmic Rulersare small but incredibly useful tools for precise measurements during exams, especially for tasks like assessing corneal diameter, pupil size, or precise measurement of eyelid lesions. They're lightweight, fit easily into your pocket, and cost just a few dollars.

Having your own ruler ensures you can always perform accurate measurements without relying on shared or missing equipment in the clinic. Get one from here:

Final Thoughts

Starting your ophthalmology journey doesn't mean you have to wait years before owning essential tools. With careful selection and some online savvy, you can build a professional, functional exam kit on a budget. Investing early in your own tools also boosts your confidence, independence, and clinical skillset, as well as benefits your patients. Good luck!

Do you think that we are missing something? Tell us, what would you add to the list? Comment below!

Disclosure: This webpage contains affiliate links, which help support us and keep the website running. The recommendations are genuine and are NOT sponsored. Explore other options yourself, and if you find something better, let us know so we can include it. - Atanas Bogoev, MD