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THINKING OF BUYING …
David Bernard
LED Surgical Lights
How to compare your light-emitting diode options.
I
t can get confusing trying
to compare
your LED light
options. If you're
seeking to equip
or upgrade your
ORs with lightemitting diodes,
CENTER PIECE Your selection of surgical lighting, as with your choice of
here's help makoperating tables, is a critical decision in equipping or upgrading an OR.
ing sense of
manufacturers' claims that they have the brightest, coolest, whitest, lowest maintenance LEDs, as well as a roundup of the latest LED options.
How do I measure LED light quality?
Quantifying the quality of illumination that OR lights cast over
the surgical site is a good way to begin your comparison between different manufacturers' models. Light quality is communicated by way
of intensity and color temperature, details that most companies readily mention in their marketing.
• Intensity (lux). The intensity, or brightness, of light depends on the
strength and arrangement of its source. Illumination is most often
measured in units called "lux," with a higher number indicating a
brighter light. One lux equates to 1 lumen of light over 1 square meter.
Direct, overhead sunlight is about 130,000 lux. Although surgical lights
can reach a maximum of 160,000 lux, many products do not max out,
as higher levels of intensity can create glare on the surgical site.
• Color temperature (degrees Kelvin). The color temperature of light is
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U N E 2013
