The colour temperature of a light source is an important consideration for surgical use.

Colours are conventionally expressed in Kelvin (K), a unit of measure based on the Kelvin scale.

Colours over 5,000K are higher on the Kelvin scale and are known as ‘cool’ colours, whilst colours of a lower value on the same scale are called ‘warm’ colours.

Visually, a higher value gives the appearance of ‘blueish-white’ – similar to a cold, stark, clinical setting (think: kitchen/supermarket lighting!) – this has been proven to increase productivity and visual acuity, keeping you alert and focused. These colours provide the surgeon with the truest tissue colour rendition.

A value at the lower end of the scale gives an appearance of ‘warm’ tones (think: lighting for comfortable settings such as a living room/bedroom). For a surgical application, a warmer tone is useful for accurate tissue differentiation, as the red values (R9) found in blood and tissues appear more pronounced.