How to Fix Double Vision in Your Microscope: Aligning the Head the Right Way
By Chad Potts, Munday Scientific & Microscope Marketplace

If you’re seeing double through your microscope or experiencing unexpected eye strain, chances are your microscope head is out of alignment. This issue can sneak up on anyone—whether you're a pathologist, a dermatologist, a researcher, or a teacher. In today’s blog (and video), I’ll walk you through what causes this problem, what it takes to fix it, and how Munday Scientific can make the process painless with our Microscope Head Exchange Program.

▶️ Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/Yon-OdRY1CQ

Why You’re Seeing Double

Microscope alignment issues are more common than people think. The most frequent causes include:

• Shipping damage – even in padded boxes, one hard knock can knock your prisms out of place.

• Spinning chairs – we've seen many cases where a technician turns too quickly and clips the head with their chair back.

• Moving or bumping the microscope while cleaning or relocating the bench.

• Accidental drops – even from a low height, a head can be thrown out of optical alignment.

When alignment is off, your brain works overtime trying to merge two separate images. This can result in:

• Eye strain

• Headaches

• Blurry or doubled images

• Difficulty getting a clear field of view

What It Takes to Align a Microscope Head

Aligning a microscope head is not as simple as turning a screw or two. Inside each binocular or trinocular head are a series of precisely placed prisms and mirrors that require micrometer-level adjustments. These adjustments can’t be done properly without specialized tools and training.

Alignment Tools & Jigs

Here’s what’s often needed:

• Factory alignment jigs (from Olympus, Nikon, or Evident): These are rare, expensive, and proprietary tools that hold the prisms in exact position while adjustments are made.

• Optical collimators or alignment telescopes to verify and fine-tune internal prism positions.

• Custom fixture blocks that allow for safe disassembly and realignment without causing further damage.

Most labs and facilities don’t have access to these tools—and honestly, they shouldn’t need to. That’s where we come in.

The Microscope Head Exchange Program

Fast. Easy. Affordable.

At Munday Scientific and Microscope Marketplace, we’ve developed a streamlined Microscope Head Exchange Program designed specifically for these situations. Here’s how it works:

1. Contact Us
   Email us at info@mundaymicroscope.com or call 919-775-5596. Tell us what model you have and the symptoms (double vision, eye strain, misalignment, etc.).

2. We Send You a Replacement
   We’ll ship out a refurbished microscope head of equal or better quality and cosmetics—usually the same day. These heads are tested, aligned, and cleaned by our expert technicians.

3. You Install It and Send Yours Back
   Inside the box, we include a prepaid return label. Just pack your broken head in the same foam and ship it back to us. No hassles.

4. We Diagnose and Repair Yours
   Once we receive your original head, we evaluate whether it’s salvageable. In most cases, we can fix it for a fraction of the cost of a new head.

5. We Add It to Our Refurbishment Pool
   Your repaired head gets restored and added to our inventory to help the next person in need—keeping high-quality parts in circulation and reducing waste.

Why Trust Munday Scientific & Microscope Marketplace?

• Authorized Service Provider for Olympus, Nikon, and Evident

• Over 100 years of combined technical experience

• One of the largest used microscope inventories in the country

• Known for fast turnaround times, expert knowledge, and unbeatable customer service

Don’t Let Double Vision Slow You Down

There’s no need to suffer through eye strain or frustration when we’ve made the solution so simple. Reach out to us, and we’ll get your microscope running smoothly again in no time.

📧 info@mundaymicroscope.com
📞 919-775-5596

We’re here to help—from alignment issues to full system rebuilds—and everything in between.

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Chad Potts
Munday Scientific & Microscope Marketplace
Authorized Olympus, Nikon & Evident Service Provider
www.mundaymicroscope.com