Is there a special approach or technique that one should use when cutting or cleaving a surgical fiber?
Yes, the following steps should be taken in cleaving a fiber: • Using the FOX Laser fiber Stripper (Product No. WE01209, see Valam Product List), strip approximately 1cm of the Yellow coating on the body of the glass fiber. (Another approach is to burn the yellow coating off the glass fiber with a lighter, and cleaning the resulting carbonized material with an alcohol swab. This approach is NOT recommended during a procedure.) • Placing the exposed glass fiber on a hard surface, approximately 6 to 7 mm from the tip, gently mark or score the fiber with the fiber Cutter (Product No. WE01003, see Valam Product List). NOTE: The intended use of the Cutter is to score, not cut or break the glass fiber. • After scoring the fiber, pull the fiber tip until it separates. Do not bend or snap the fiber tip off. • Test your new fiber tip by using the red light test or aiming beam. If the fiber produces a clear, concise circular spot, the fiber is ready to be used or re-sterilized. • The Cutter may
