why is it that i can not see specimens and or cells in the microscope?

Question

i am in microbiology and i can not see the cells everyone else is seeing in the microscope. then someone else will help me and they find it. i adjust the power and lenses lighting etc. but I am having trouble. it is oil immersion as well.

Answer 1

1. make sure the specimen is actually under your field of view. then, keep adjusting the focus knobs gently until it comes into focus. also, you might want to restain your specimen.

Answer 2

When looking to find cells, you can get caught up in the magnification of the object instead of being able to see deeper. When you first look remember that some parts of the slide have been stained better than other parts of it so you may have to very slightly move the slide around. If everyone else sees them, ask a friend to describe or draw what the cell looks like, and if someone helps you find it DO NOT ADJUST anything; just look and you should she what they have been seeing.

Answer 3

Try taking a pre-made slide that was purchased one that uses the standard lighting, put it under the scope on the lowest magnification get the specimen centered and focused. Once you have dialed it in there go to the next magnification and focus but don't move the slide at all. Oh and don't forget the highest magnification needs OIL on it to enable you to see it. Also if you where glasses take them off. If you are still having problems have someone else try to focus for you and if you still can't see go see your local eye doctor cause there might be something wrong.

Answer 4

Ok, this may sound stupid, but it happened to my husband, who had the same problem. Still does. Some people can look through a microscope with both eyes open and see things with the one eye and *ignore* the other eye. Some people close one eye and look through the other eye into the microscope. My husband *can NOT* close just one eye (muscle idiosyncrasy or something) and also *can NOT* see through the microscope with both eyes open. Just does not work for him. He ended up having to get a patch for his left eye to wear when doing things with the microscope! But it worked! Just a thought.

Answer 5

There are many reasons this could be happening.

My friend's eyes are changing as she gets older, and even though she has been in biochem for YEARS she is NOW having such trouble.

YOUR eyes are perhaps blurring from any number of sources, Vitamin A deficit, low blood sugar, LOTS of things can affect.


There's also the ever-popular EYE STRAIN, from wearing the wrong eye prescription, or glare in the summer sun, or whatever.

Myself, I also suffer from something comparable to snow-blindness: too much white glare causes me to be *blinded* to some degree (and for example here, I am staring into a large white overhead light while trying to do this, so it is made difficult for me personally), and I am also dealing with *floaters* today. :P

You might also wish to change out your eye makeup, if you keep it too long (more than 3 months in some cases), it can get germs inside the container and transfer those to your eye, resulting in vision problems, infections, even permanent eye damage. You also might be sensitive to some element in the product, resulting in allergic-type response, watering eyes, etc., which can also cause blurring and lower your ability to see in such complex situations.

If you are noticing other health issues, suggest you get in with your doc for a full physical to rule out probs, and/or go see your Opthamologist [eye MD] to get a full work-up on your eyes. Vision is IMPORTANT, do what you can to hold onto YOURS! :)

Best wishes.

Answer 6

This is because microscopes are evil. They only work for other people.

Answer 7

if you wear glasses, take them off and let the microscope optics do the work for you

Answer 8

The Emperor's New Clothes...LOL

Answer 9

Learn the proper use of the instrument

Answer 10

take the lense cap off, cute stuff :) xoxo