Equipping a New Eye Clinic: An Ophthalmic Equipment Checklist

Setting up a new eye clinic means assembling a coordinated set of instruments — for refraction, examination, diagnostics and, often, minor surgery. This checklist groups the essentials so you can plan your purchase (and your budget) in a logical order.

1. Refraction room

• Trial lens set and trial frame for subjective refraction.
• Streak retinoscope for objective refraction.
• Autorefractor with keratometer for a fast starting point.
• Manual lensometer to verify spectacle prescriptions.
• A LED vision screen chart or acuity drums for visual acuity testing.

2. Examination room

• Slit lamp — the workhorse for anterior segment examination.
• Applanation tonometer for intraocular pressure measurement.
• Direct ophthalmoscope and a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope with a condensing lens for fundus examination.
• A refraction chair unit to position the patient and mount instruments.

3. Diagnostics & specialist tools

• Gonioscope lens for angle assessment.
• Ishihara test book for colour-vision screening.
• Prism bar set and synoptophore for orthoptics.

4. Minor surgery / procedures

• An ophthalmic surgical microscope if you’ll perform procedures in-house.
• Sterilisation and instrument-handling hollowares — trays, drums, jars and a steriliser.

5. Plan your procurement

• Phase the purchase — start with refraction + examination essentials, add surgical and specialist tools as the clinic grows.
• Buy from a manufacturer to control cost across a large, mixed order.
• Consolidate into one supplier where possible to simplify shipping, documentation and support.

Source it in one place

Optolab Zone manufactures and exports the full ophthalmic range — browse ophthalmic instruments and hospital hollowares. Send your equipment list and we’ll quote the whole setup with export terms. Request a quote or message us on WhatsApp.