What Are Surgical Lights?

Surgical lights are specially designed lamps that offer brilliant, reduced-shadow light for surgical procedures. These large lights are vital for surgery illumination, in order to quickly and efficiently complete complicated procedures. Halogen lights have long been the staple in the industry, but these are slowly being replaced by LED modules. LED modules tend to be brighter and rate a much higher energy-efficiency than most halogen bulbs, but these energy-saving ranges will vary between manufacturers.

Important Traits To Look For While Shopping

• Lux: Lux is a unit of measurement to determine the luminous emittance (or brightness) of a light source per square meter. The scale ranges from 0.0001 (a cloudy, starless night) to 100,000 (direct sunlight). Another unit of illumination measurement is known as a "foot-candle", measuring the amount of light present in a one-foot radius. The conversion between the two measurements is 10.764 lux per 1 foot-candle.
• Color Accuracy: The color rendering index (CRI) is a scale from 0 to 100 and measures the accuracy of true coloring when a light source is shown on an object. The higher the CRI, the more faithful the colors will be. This is especially important for soft tissue examinations and surgical procedures.
• Light Field Diameter: Take stock of how big the work area is and determine what size light best fits it. The light field diameter is the width of the circle of light that emanates from the lamp head to a flat surface. Some surgical lights are equipped with reflectors that can adjust the size and shape of this field.
• Configurations: Many surgical lights come in multiple configurations (also known as models), to give more versatility in design and functionality. For example, wall mounted lights are more compact, while floorstand models are portable between surgical suites. On top of determining what type of light is needed, discover which configuration best fits the needs of the workspace. Other common configurations include:
  • Single ceiling mount.
  • Double (dual) ceiling mount.
  • Track mount.
  • Table mount.

Surgical Lights vs Examination / Task Lights

Surgical lights tend to have a higher color rendering index and brightness level than other lights. Examination lights are comparable, as both need a high CRI to accurately illuminate soft tissues, but surgical lights are designed to emit wider fields of bright light. On the other hand, task lights are strictly for patient observation or personal use, and don't often have a high CRI or brightness level.