Equipment maintenance and repair

ophthalmic equipment, including surgical instruments and diagnostic devices, can be compared to the maintenance of a motor vehicle, something many of us understand well. If you had a car, would you drive it until the fuel runs out or until a tyre punctures, and then abandon it to buy a new car? Of course not. However, many eye care units purchase (or receive as a donation) expensive and delicate equipment which, because of poor maintenance, ends up breaking down. If there is not a system in place to report breakdowns and to plan or carry out repairs, equipment can remain unusable for long periods of time. Sometimes, this equipment ends up being dumped. (Figure 1). Good maintenance habits and an effective repair system will minimise the amount of time equipment is unusable.