Which penlight do you use? Incandescent or LED?

[RelloydRN]

I'm just curious on what you guys are using for your physical assessment. I would always hear this debate on which penlight is better and sometimes they make comments that the other is actually harmful.

Incandescent:

1. Better visualization of colors when assessing body tissues. (e.g. throat, eyes, etc.)

2. Not harmful when used repeatedly in the eye.

3. Drains the battery faster.

4. Bulb gets busted easily when dropped.

LED:

1. Inaccurate color rendition especially in body tissues. (e.g. can't tell if jaundice or degree of erythema)

2. Some says ( I actually have not researched if there is ) that it is harmful if repeatedly used in the eyes.

3. Battery life longer.

4. Bulb won't break unless you hammer it.

Personally I am using the Incandescent one because I bought it cheap from Energizer.

[FrankyStarling]

I recently picked up a Streamlight Stylus Pro that I've been very happy with. I work in a neuro/trauma unit and find this light to be very reliable, easy to clean/disinfect, and bright beyond belief.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Just a thought..... try them both on your own eyes and then decide. Imagine that as often as Q2H for neuro checks (more if something is changing).

Turn out the lights in the bathroom, and look in the mirror, so you can see how well you see with them.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I just got out of the hospital last Sunday. Believe me the LED hurts like all heck.

I had a concussion and they checked my neuros every hour for 2 days. Do not use an LED for pupil response.

It's fine to do a patient check in a darkened room, but PLEASE have compassion for your patient's pain and have an incandesceant light for pupillary response.

:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat:up:

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Incandescent. With an LED I feel like, "oh hey, let me blind the absolutely CRAP out of your eyeballs with this!"

[Rob72, ASN, RN]

I use an LED and when I check pupil response I just don't shine it straight into the eye. I use the edge of the beam or hold the light at an angle so it doesn't focus on the patients fovea centralis. If it does leave a bright spot on their retina it will be in their peripheral field where it won't bother them much.

I second this, and would simply say, "know how to use the tools properly". The aforementioned Streamlight Stylus has a little plastic sleeve that slides over the end to focus the beam, and you can further narrow the beam by ensuring that the sleeve is only half-way retracted. (I.e., the bulb is actually seated midway inside the sleeve.)

Whether incan or LED, folks that go for central pupillary response have likely never worked the field. Surprise a gomer-stoner or half-baked drunk with any light directly in the eye, and you have a good chance of getting hit/kicked.

I like LED because of the battery life and volume of light. You may not always be near the nearest "emergency" light source when the power goes out. It looks much better to your patient, when you're starting an IV or drawing lab, and the lights go "black", to be able to stop, say, "just a sec", fire up your light, finish the job, and tell them you'll go find out what the problem is- versus sitting in half-light your eyes aren't adjusted to, cursing impotently. BTDT.

Edit: Okay, I'll confess. I have used a 200 lumen LED on intoxes before. I did want to be sure they were responsive, afterall...:sstrs:

[n6medjim]

Lot better way to check responsiveness on an intox who is likely to be faking it: forget the light in the eyes; take their hand and hold it above their face, then release. If he moves it to the side so it doesn't hit him in the face, well, you get the idea.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

Ummm....my phone.

Oops.

[quazar]

Ummm....my phone.

Oops.

LOL me too, BUT NOT TO CHECK PUPILS. I only use it to see in the dark if I don't want to disturb a patient, or if I need to see a something in a room where the lights need to stay dim. I would never use my phone to check pupils, I'm not the Marquis De Sade.

ETA when I do check pupils, I use an old fashioned incandescent pen light.

[RiskManager]

When I used a LED, I would tear off a corner off a piece of gauze or tissue as an impromptu light diffuser.