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Portable, fast, and perfect for fluorescein. Learn how the Burton lamp reveals lens fit patterns.
The Burton lamp is the quick-check tool for contact lens fitting. It shows up on the NCLE because it relies on fluorescein interpretation, and that’s a core exam skill. Expect around 15 questions focused on pooling, touch, and alignment patterns.
This guide breaks down cobalt blue illumination, fluorescein dye use, and how to interpret the green glow that tells you whether a lens is fitting too steep, too flat, or just right.
A Burton lamp is a handheld UV/cobalt blue light used to illuminate fluorescein dye. It’s a portable version of the cobalt blue filter on a slit lamp. The lamp excites fluorescein in the tear film, producing bright green fluorescence.
In contact lens fitting, this fluorescence reveals the tear layer between a rigid lens and the cornea. The pattern shows where the lens touches, clears, or aligns.
The Burton lamp has a UV/cobalt blue light source, a filter lens, and a handheld housing. Some models include a yellow barrier filter to enhance contrast.
[Image: Labeled diagram of Burton lamp components]
[Image: Fluorescein pattern under Burton lamp]
Bright green fluorescence represents tear pooling or clearance. Dark areas indicate lens touch or bearing. A uniform light green glow suggests alignment.
In RGP fitting, you want mild central pooling with even peripheral clearance. Excessive pooling means too steep. Central dark spot means too flat.
The Burton lamp is useful for quick RGP evaluations, especially in settings without a slit lamp. It’s also used to highlight corneal staining or foreign bodies.
It’s portable, fast, and reliable—perfect for screening and initial assessments.
Expect questions about fluorescein interpretation, pooling vs touch, and when to use a Burton lamp instead of a slit lamp.
Memory aid: “Bright = clearance, dark = touch.” Say it every time you see fluorescein.
Try these NCLE-style questions.
Bright green pooling centrally indicates which RGP fit?
Answer: B. Steep
Bright central pooling indicates excessive clearance—classic steep fit.
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