Key Points for the Maintenance of Optical Microscopes
(I) Must master and strictly follow the operating procedures
(II) Hold the microscope correctly when carrying it: one hand grips the arm, and the other supports the base. Do not tilt the microscope, to prevent the eyepiece from sliding out of the tube. Handle the microscope gently during transportation.
(III) Do not move the microscope arbitrarily during observation.
(IV) All optical components of the microscope shall only be cleaned with special lens paper and matching cleaning solution. Do not use other articles for wiping, and never touch the lenses with fingers, so as to avoid lens contamination by sweat.
(V) Keep the microscope dry and clean, and prevent contamination by dust, water and chemical reagents.
(VI) When switching objectives, do not twist the objective lenses directly; only rotate the revolving nosepiece. Modern microscopes are equipped with electric revolving nosepieces, which are convenient to use and represent a development trend.
(VII) Do not turn the focusing knobs arbitrarily. When adjusting the focusing knobs, apply light force and turn slowly. Do not force them if they get stuck.
(VIII) Do not disassemble any parts of the microscope, especially the objective lenses, which may damage the thread of the revolving nosepiece. Loose threads will cause failure in switching between low-power and high-power objectives.
(IX) When using the high-power objective, do not adjust focus with the coarse focus knob, to prevent excessive movement and damage to the objective lens and slide.
(X) Turn down the light source properly to extend the service life of the bulb.
Improper use or operation errors of microscopes are common in biology experiments. As long as we take it seriously, consciously correct and overcome mistakes, we can use the microscope proficiently and correctly.
