Find ​The Different Types of Medical Lighting Systems Online

Appropriate medical lighting is essential in any healthcare facility. While these bulbs may seem like ordinary illuminating agents, they serve a unique function in certain hospital areas, from the surgical theater to other departments. Generally, these lighting systems help to improve healthcare workers' tasks.

Here, we'll explore the various medical lighting systems and the areas where they are applied. The major ones discussed in this guide include penlight, surgical, Wood's, and medical exam lights. Keep reading, as you'll also know where to get these lights in bulk at wholesale rates.

What Is Medical Lighting?

Medical lighting is a term that defines the various illumination systems used in the hospital. It is worth noting that these lighting systems don't include regular household bulbs. Instead, medical lighting covers a wide range of light sources with unique characteristics that facilitate easy procedures.

Unlike traditional bulbs, you can adjust the intensity of medical lights to limit the effects of shadows while operating.

Hospital lighting is vital for optimal personnel performance as it guides a series of medical procedures and, most importantly, limits errors. Also, the types of medical light play a crucial role in human physiology and psychology.

Generally, medical lighting helps to improve work satisfaction, and in some cases, it limits dispensing errors in the pharmacy. Hence, it is evident that proper medical lighting benefits patients and healthcare workers.

Why Is Medical Lighting So Important?

The medical environment is a strenuous one. Healthcare staff must make perfect interventions from diagnosis to treatment which may include some life-threatening surgeries. With this in mind, there must be suitable lighting systems not to defeat the said activities' purpose, which is to save lives.

Glare-free lighting is indispensable in an environment with demanding visual requirements. Poor lighting system is a major cause of hospital errors which is detrimental to patients' and healthcare workers' performance as ir limits precision.

Generally, medical lighting improves the performance of doctors and nurses. Also, appropriate lighting systems promote an optimal circadian rhythm, improving medical staff's productivity and allowing them to operate over a long period.

As mentioned earlier, medical lighting plays a crucial role in human physiology and psychology. The light influences the patients' state of mind; for example, high-intensity light can make a patient nervous. On the other hand, a natural light intensity calms the patient.

Thus, bearing in mind that patients require different light intensities, it would be best to incorporate lighting systems that are adaptable and flexible.

What Lighting System Do Hospitals Use?

Various lighting systems are designed for specific medical procedures. This is because some tasks require unique light types and intensities to promote the precision and performance of medical staff. Here, we'll discuss four primary medical lights used in healthcare facilities.

Medical Exam Lights

Different medical examinations are carried out daily in the hospital. Therefore, medical staff needs are prioritized in the patient exam room to ensure optimum performance. However, the room must also cater to patients' needs when lighting is the subject.

With this in mind, the medical exam light is a valuable visual aid to guide the medical staff's precision and overall efficiency. Also, the light's intensity relieves patients' anxiety due to fear of being in the hospital.

The adjustment of medical exam lights must be simple and shouldn't interfere with the procedure. In some cases, finding a suitable intensity that guarantees patient comfort and enhances medical staff activity may be difficult. However, the lighting system must be flexible so doctors and nurses can dim and brighten as needed.

Medical exam lights illuminate specific body parts during diagnosis and treatment without producing shadows or glare. For instance, they can examine a part of the skin or eye tissues. It is vital not to confuse them for surgical lights that are strictly used in operating rooms.

An essential feature of the medical exam lights is that they should attain the optimum level of color rendering of the light sources.

Medical exam lights are of three categories based on their mounting configuration, floor stand, wall-mounted, and ceiling-mounted; the latter being the most flexible. Also, some models have goosenecks for improved flexibility.

The price range of medical exam lights varies based on the mount configurations and the bulb type. A general range is between $1,000  to $8,000. Floor-stand models cost less than $1,000-$3,000, while wall-mounted models cost up to $4,000. Ceiling-mounted types cost between $3,000-$10,000. Based on their bulb types, halogen models fall between the low to mid-price range; wild LED (light-emitting diode) models are more expensive.

Penlights

As the name suggests, a penlight is a portable, handheld flashlight that resembles a pen about 5-6 inches long. It's battery-powered, and the bulb can be halogen or LED like the medical exam light. The significant difference between penlights and traditional flashlights is the illumination area which is narrow in the former and wider in the latter.

Penlights are helpful assessment tools for tiny areas around the eyes, mouth, nose, and ear. In most cases, the penlight is used to examine the pupil's spasm to light when assessing neurological conditions.

You can switch on a penlight in three ways: side click, tail click, or twist top. Side click models have a sliding switch on the body, while tail clicks have a press button at the base.

On the other hand, twist-top penlights are switched on by twisting the fake cap back and forth. Also, most penlights have pocket clips so doctors can conveniently carry them around.

A typical penlight costs between $0.6-$6.

Wood's Lights

Wood's light is a portable handheld device that uses light to diagnose microbes like bacteria and fungi on the skin through transillumination. This medical lighting system also identifies skin pigment disorders. While this device is widely used for skin tests, it is versatile and has applications in optometry in diagnosing corneal abrasion. Common conditions that doctors diagnose with the Wood's lamp include vitiligo, porphyria, ringworm, Tinea capitis, melasma, etc.

The test that requires the Wood's light is called black light or UV light test. This is because the device uses a black light to detect skin defects. You can't see black light with your naked eyes. However, it falls under the UV spectrum; as a result, the device can reveal defects invisible to the naked eye.

Normal skin appears blue under the Wood's light, while thick spots appear white. Yellow and purple spots reveal oily and dehydrated skin, respectively.

A typical Wood's light has a magnifying lens, UV lamp, power source, handle, and switch.

Low-end Wood's light models cost between $10-$40, while the mid-range products cost over $100 and high-end types cost over $1,000.

Surgical Lights

Surgical lights are used in the operating theater to optimally light and facilitate access to the target surgical site for a favorable outcome. They are essential components without which the surgical room cannot exist.

Aside from the hospital, surgical lights are applied in intensive care units, veterinary, research, and educational institutes. Sophisticated models include high-definition cameras.

Surgical lights are grouped into overhead, in-cavity, and headlights. Overhead surgical lights are of three types; wall and ceiling-mounted and wheel-bound. Headlights are typically hung on headgear, providing a constant magnified view for surgeons, and eliminating all shadows.

It is challenging for overhead and headlights to offer adequate illumination to internal organs. This is because the amount of heat they emit isn't safe for organs, bearing in mind the surgery's duration.

Regardless, surgeons still require lighting to access complex target sites. And to achieve this, they use in-cavity lights by employing fiber-optic cables as they offer a broader view of the internal organs. Surgeons can attach in-cavity lights to their tools or place the light inside the target site's cavity.

Modern-day surgical lights are majorly LED lights because they offer durability, higher color rendering, energy efficiency, accuracy, and minimal heat output.

Generally, overhead and in-cavity surgical headlights cost between $300-$1,500, while headlights cost less than $100-$500.

Where to Buy the Best Medical Lighting Equipment Online?

You can buy the best medical lighting equipment online at medwish.com. Medwish is an online platform that deals in B2B  sales of a wide variety of medical equipment, including lighting systems, devices, and furniture. Private laboratories, hospitals, and international agents, and hospitals are significant patrons of Medwish's products.

Are you developing a new healthcare facility or want to up-scall your current hospital? Browse Medwish's product catalog for all your medical needs. And if you get stuck choosing the best medical lighting system, the Medwish team is always here to cater to your needs.

Exciting offers from Medwish include installment payment, secure supply chain channels, and multiple payment options, including Paypal, credit cards, Western Union, L/C, etc.

Conclusion

Medical lighting systems contribute principally to the overall performance of medical staff and improve treatment outcomes. Lighting is vital in any healthcare facility, and using the right light for the correct procedure is essential. The most common lighting systems based on the procedure type include surgical, Wood's, penlight, and medical exam lights.

Contact Medwish today for the best medical light equipment and other hospital supplies.