The right operating room lighting should be designed to allow the medical team to focus solely on the surgical operation
Today, with discharge lamps, it is possible to increase the available light to almost 200,000 lux in operating rooms. However, this more light is better approach was abandoned when surgeons complained of eye fatigue. Today, more and more surgeons are working with LEDs. These LED Operating Room Fixtures use less energy to provide surgeons with the balanced lighting they need to make effective diagnoses and make the right decisions.
Successful OR lighting needs a specific balance of brightness, shadow management, volume and temperature. This maximizes visibility in the surgical field while minimizing eye strain.
4 main criteria should be taken into account:
- Lighting
- Light Volume
- Heat
- Shadow management
Lighting
Appropriate lighting should be adjusted to avoid eye strain for surgeons by ensuring good visibility with minimal glare. Lux should be between 40,000 and 160,000 lx. The light patch size may vary depending on the type of surgery to limit peripheral glare. Lighting should be uniform to reduce eye strain due to glare.
Shadow Management
What is really important in terms of shadow management is to manage the shadows correctly. It’s not just the power, but the useful light that the surgical team will have without a shadow area.
Light volume
Surgeons need three-dimensional illumination as many surgical operations require intervention from different points at the same time. A beam of light from several different points at the same time and at different heights combined into a single point means a fuller volume of light.
Heat Management
Since heat energy is always generated when obtaining light, heat management may be necessary for those exposed at close range. Heat is generated in two places in lighting. In the lighting fixture and light center. Heat can cause discomfort for the surgeon and dry out the exposed patient tissue. While LEDs do not produce harmful infrared rays, they emit a small amount of heat.
There is no room for error in the operating room. Emergency kit lighting fixtures with the capacity to operate between 1-3 hours even in a sudden power outage are produced. It provides uninterrupted illumination, ensuring that the maneuverability of the surgery is maintained.
