Guest post by Dr. Sarah Spelsberg, MD, FAWM, FEWM
Dr. Sarah Spelsberg
As a wilderness medic I rely on the Arclight as a tool for all environments. I'm so excited that it is now also available in the US, as are my colleagues who I keep recommending it to!
I’m Dr. Sarah Spelsberg. I serve as Director of U.S. Operations for World Extreme Medicine, I host their podcast, and I edit the Expedition Medicine column for Wilderness Medicine magazine. I’m also part of the FAWM committee for the Wilderness Medical Society and served as the medical director for the world-record-setting Project Neptune 100, where Dr. Joseph Dituri spent 100 days living underwater. As I write this, I’m currently deployed supporting a TV shoot in the wilds of the Fijian Islands.
My career has taken me from chaotic resus bays to the isolation of the Aleutian Islands. Across all these environments, I’ve come to rely on one tool above all others—the Arclight.
Dr. Joseph Dituri and Dr. Sarah Spelsberg during Project NEPTUNE 100
Small but Mighty: The Arclight Advantage
The Arclight is a pocket-sized device that combines an otoscope, direct ophthalmoscope, and loupe in one ultra-lightweight tool that literally balances on a finger. Developed by St Andrews Medical Innovations—a social enterprise from the University of St Andrews—it's the epitome of smart, minimalist medical technology.
In my experience, the Arclight performs just as well in an urban emergency department as it does in the jungles of Fiji or 30 meters beneath the sea.
Trusted on Every Mission
Dr. Sara Filmalter, Dr. Sarah Spelsberg, and Dr. Shawna Pandya. Project NEPTUNE 100 – where Arclight went 100 days underwater
During Project NEPTUNE 100, the Arclight proved itself invaluable. Lightweight, tough, and capable of delivering clear visuals even in the confined, damp environment of an undersea habitat—it’s now a non-negotiable part of my kit.
Whether I’m working on a remote island set or in an ER, it’s always in my bag, accompanied by a few fluorescein strips and makeshift eye retractors fashioned from paperclips.
Arclight in the Iceland wilderness © Marianne Jayne
A Tool with a Purpose
Beyond its clinical excellence, what makes the Arclight stand out is its mission. At under £100, it’s affordable for users in high-income countries, while its purchase helps subsidise distribution to low-resource settings where reliable diagnostics can save sight—and lives.
It’s not just about having a gadget in your bag; it’s about being part of a global health solution that bridges gaps in care from the city to the most remote corners of the world.
Now Available in the U.S.
I’m excited that the Arclight is now available for direct purchase in the United States—making it easier for GPs, medical students, EMTs, expedition medics, and even remote filmmakers to add this powerful tool to their kits.
👉 Learn more and get your own Arclight in the US here: Diamatrix distributors