The evolution of medical lighting has been slow—but today, significant progress has been achieved thanks to cutting-edge technologies that ensure maximum safety and comfort for both doctors and patients.
RIMSA has developed state-of-the-art medical lighting solutions specifically designed for clinics and operating theaters, with the goal of enabling healthcare professionals and surgeons around the world to operate under optimal visual conditions.
Medical Lamps
The Best Lighting for
Medical Environments
Medical Lamps: Purpose-Built Lighting for Healthcare
Emergency Lighting
An operating room lamp is a product most people can easily visualize—its shape, function, and purpose are often immediately recognizable when thinking about surgical lighting. However, what a surgical lamp truly is and why operating lights are designed the way they are is not always so obvious.

What Is a Surgical Lamp?
The primary function of a surgical lamp is to deliver bright, consistent lighting to a localized area or internal cavity of the patient during medical procedures. These lights are also referred to as “scialytic lamps”—from the Greek term meaning “without shadows.”
A high-quality surgical light must be seamlessly integrated into the operating room environment, providing uniform illumination of the surgical field at all times. It should do so without obstructing the surgeon’s movements, causing eye strain, or damaging sensitive tissues, ensuring optimal visibility and patient safety throughout every stage of the procedure.
RIMSA: The Evolution of Surgical Lighting
RIMSA holds a pivotal role in the history of medical lighting.
In 2002, RIMSA launched its first LED surgical lamp—at a time when LED technology was still emerging and anti-glare solutions, now industry standard, were only just being explored.
The arrival of RIMSA’s surgical lights in operating rooms around the world revolutionized the surgical environment and transformed the way surgeons operate on patients. Thanks to RIMSA’s patented anti-glare technology, operating rooms have seen a significant reduction in surgical incidents and an increase in the success rate of both invasive and minimally invasive procedures.
The reason is simple: glare is one of the most dangerous visual obstacles in surgery. The exclusive anti-glare system integrated into every RIMSA medical lamp eliminates this risk, providing greater safety at every stage of the operation.
RIMSA was also the first to introduce indirect LED lighting in medical lamps. This innovation extends the LED light beam, minimizes glare, and eliminates shadows when objects or limbs obstruct the light path. The indirect lighting technology, now a hallmark of RIMSA’s top surgical lights, allows healthcare professionals to move freely and confidently—without the risk of shadow-related errors during critical procedures.
What does “scialytic” mean?
The term “shadowless” defines this category of professional medical lighting, technically referred to as OR lights (operating room lights). While the term “scialytic lamp” has scientific origins, it is commonly used outside the scientific community to mean surgical lamp.
Explore the technical features and regulatory standards that make RIMSA surgical lights a trusted solution in operating rooms worldwide.
- 1 - MONOCHROME WHITE LEDs
- 2 - COLOUR RENDERING INDEX
- 3 – LIGHT AND TECHNOLOGY
- 4 – DIRECT LIGHT VS INDIRECT LIGHT
- 5 – GLARE
- 6 – MANEUVERABILITY
- 7 - IMPACT ON LAMINAR AIR FLOW
- 8 - AUTOMATIC FOCUSING AND DIAMETER ADJUSTMENT
- 9 – COMPENSATION AREA
LED Technology for Superior Performance
RIMSA uses only white LEDs in all of its medical lamps, effectively eliminating the issue of colored shadows during procedures. The LEDs engineered by RIMSA deliver a light output that can reach a color temperature of 5,000K—a level of pure white light that closely resembles natural daylight at solar noon.
In addition to superior brightness, RIMSA’s LEDs offer an exceptional Color Rendering Index (CRI), ensuring that every tissue, instrument, and surface is illuminated with true-to-life color accuracy, which is critical in surgical and clinical environments.
The must have for operating room lights
The colour rendering index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to reproduce colours accurately. According to IEC 60601-2-41, the scialitic lamps are able to guarantee a minimum value of the CRI. Due to their specific use and importance, RIMSA’s scialitic lamps guarantee the perfect CRI value for faithfully reproducing colors.
The innovation of scialytic lamps
Added to this is the advantage of a lower temperature generated on the printed circuit board, which guarantees a longer life, less light degradation and a greater scialytic effect than a direct reflection solution.
Why is RIMSA different?
Instead of using direct light principles, RIMSA focuses on reflected or indirect light. The advantages are functional and strategic: the use of indirect LED technology increases the light-emitting surface; the indirect reflection allows to obtain a larger illuminated surface using fewer LEDs; The use of fewer LEDs results in greater energy savings and lower material consumption.
OR Comfortable Lights
When it comes to surgical lighting, you should always consider the impact of the quality of lighting on the surgeon’s eyes. Their visual comfort is of paramount importance.
The RIMSA scialytic lamps are designed to put the surgeon, doctors and team in perfect comfort: their characteristics ensure the right brightness and guarantee a perfect visibility, without straining the eyes, Cause glare or force the surgeon and team to take incorrect positions to ensure better vision.
Light made for everyone
In the operating room, every gesture is important. RIMSA has equipped its surgical lamps with ergonomic devices to direct light in a simple and functional way. RIMSA designs and produces the arms of its lamps according to the principles of ergonomics: they are made of aluminium to reduce weight, while ensuring excellent stability.
By designing its own support structures internally, RIMSA is able to better respond to any need, offering customized solutions based on the size of each installation. In addition to custom support structures, RIMSA also offers two bracket configurations: single bracket or double bracket. While the double bracket is the only configuration offered by all other manufacturers, RIMSA also offers a single bracket solution to meet the requirements of installations with low ceilings.
How to use laminar airflow in OR lamps
In operating rooms, maintaining a sterile environment is essential to prevent infection. An effective method of controlling bacterial load in the operating field is the use of laminar airflow. It is interesting to note that the shape of the object, like a lamp, hit by the laminar airflow does not affect the turbulence of the air created. However, the temperature of the object under the airflow significantly influences the turbulence: higher temperatures increase the turbulence.
To overcome this problem, RIMSA designs its lamps with materials that promote heat dissipation. The body and dome of RIMSA lamps are made from die-cast aluminium, effectively reducing the heat radiated by the lamp head. In addition, the internal components, including the LED PCB, are made of aluminum, copper and ceramic, minimizing heat generation at the source. This design choice not only lowers the operating temperature of the LEDs, but also improves the interaction of the lamp with the laminar airflow, extending the life of the product.
Choose RIMSA lamps for a sterile, efficient and long-lasting lighting solution in your operating room.
Scialytic lamps: "Always-in-Focus" technology
RIMSA has installed an optical lens system in its products so that the light beams coincide and are always perfectly focused at any distance between 70-140 cm from the operating field.
OR emergency light: feel good with us!
The feeling of blinding from glare occurs not only when the surgeon looks directly at the light source, but also when the eye deflects its gaze from the center of the illuminated area to the edge of the surgical focus. This type of glare is called indirect glare and is caused by the eye passing through areas with different light intensity, such as the passage from the illuminated surgical field to any other area in the operating room. This sudden change in intensity can cause numerous problems.
Firstly, this kind of glare causes visual discomfort; surgeons would try to be more comfortable by continually changing positions to improve their vision, but in doing so they would sacrifice concentration. The loss of concentration caused by glare can be harmful to patients. In 2013, it was discovered that transitional lighting reduces the feeling of glare. With UNICA RIMSA has solved this limit by introducing a compensation area that allows a “progressive and gradual adjustment of the light intensity”
How to Choose the Right Type of Surgical Lamp?
To choose the right type of medical lamp, it is essential to first identify the field of application and the performance level the user requires. Below is a summary of the key criteria that help determine the most appropriate lamp based on the work environment and the type of medical procedure being performed.
Colour Temperature
Color temperature refers to the tone of light emitted by a light source and is measured in Kelvin (K). It is a physical property that indicates whether the light appears warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish), which is essential in medical and surgical settings where visual accuracy and comfort are critical.
Light Beam Width
The beam width, also known as the beam angle, refers to the angle formed by the light when it reaches a surface. It is a key factor in determining the spread and focus of illumination and is measured in degrees (°). A wider angle provides broader coverage, while a narrower angle delivers more focused light—critical for precision tasks in medical and surgical environments
Dimmer
A dimmer is an electronic device that allows you to adjust the brightness level of a single lamp or a group of lamps. Also known in Italian as varialuce or regolatore di luminosità, dimmers are essential in medical lighting to provide precise control over light intensity, enhancing both visual comfort and procedural accuracy.
Lumen and LUX
The lumen (lm) is the unit of measurement for the luminous flux emitted by a light source. In contrast, the lux (lx) measures illuminance, indicating how many lumens actually reach a surface per square meter. In medical and surgical environments, both values are critical to ensure the right balance between brightness and precision illumination.
Startup Time
The startup time of an LED lamp refers to how long it takes to reach full brightness. In most cases, this process is instantaneous or under one second, making LED lighting ideal for medical environments where immediate, consistent illumination is essential.
Energy Label
The energy label of an LED lamp provides key information about the device’s energy efficiency, including its power consumption, energy rating, and other useful performance metrics. This label helps users assess the lamp’s operating efficiency and environmental impact, making it easier to choose sustainable, high-performance lighting solutions for medical and professional use.
Colour Temperature
Color temperature refers to the tone of light emitted by a light source and is measured in Kelvin (K). It is a physical property that indicates whether the light appears warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish), which is essential in medical and surgical settings where visual accuracy and comfort are critical.
Light Beam Width
The beam width, also known as the beam angle, refers to the angle formed by the light when it reaches a surface. It is a key factor in determining the spread and focus of illumination and is measured in degrees (°). A wider angle provides broader coverage, while a narrower angle delivers more focused light—critical for precision tasks in medical and surgical environments
Dimmer
A dimmer is an electronic device that allows you to adjust the brightness level of a single lamp or a group of lamps. Also known in Italian as varialuce or regolatore di luminosità, dimmers are essential in medical lighting to provide precise control over light intensity, enhancing both visual comfort and procedural accuracy.
Lumen and LUX
The lumen (lm) is the unit of measurement for the luminous flux emitted by a light source. In contrast, the lux (lx) measures illuminance, indicating how many lumens actually reach a surface per square meter. In medical and surgical environments, both values are critical to ensure the right balance between brightness and precision illumination.
Startup Time
The startup time of an LED lamp refers to how long it takes to reach full brightness. In most cases, this process is instantaneous or under one second, making LED lighting ideal for medical environments where immediate, consistent illumination is essential.
Energy Label
The energy label of an LED lamp provides key information about the device’s energy efficiency, including its power consumption, energy rating, and other useful performance metrics. This label helps users assess the lamp’s operating efficiency and environmental impact, making it easier to choose sustainable, high-performance lighting solutions for medical and professional use.
The Best LED Lamp Is the One Designed for You
Based on the specifications outlined above, RIMSA classifies its LED medical lamps into three main categories: surgical lamps, examination lamps, and veterinary lamps. Each lighting solution is designed with dedicated features to support the unique needs of medical professionals at every stage of their work—from surgical procedures to clinical exams.
Through extensive research and development, RIMSA has refined this classification to introduce significant technical upgrades and performance improvements to every medical lamp in its catalog. To assist healthcare professionals and procurement teams in selecting the most suitable equipment for operating rooms and clinical spaces, we present below a detailed classification of our LED medical lamps by medical specialty.
SURGICAL LAMPS
Choose Made-in-Italy Excellence in the OR with RIMSA's Direct and Indirect LED Surgical Lights
EXAMINATION LAMPS
It shines a light on Patient Care with RIMSA Examination Lamps Designed for Deep, Accurate Visibility
VETERINARY LAMPS
The Best LED Lamps for Veterinary Clinics and Surgical Suites
Discover all our LED lamps!
RIMSA covers every sector! For years we have dedicated ourselves to the study of LED lamps and innovative technologies to maximise efficiency and practicality in their use. This has allowed us to become reliable and safe partners for workers in every sector, in Italy and worldwide!
Discover all RIMSA lamps!
Certifications
A hallmark of excellence and reliability
At RIMSA, our certifications are tangible proof of our collective commitment to safety, quality, and sustainability. We believe in the value of independent verification, which is why we have earned key certifications: ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 13485 for medical devices, ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 27001 for data and information security.
In the ESG arena, we take pride in being a benefit corporation, holding B Corp certification, and maintaining a high legal compliance rating. These achievements underscore our dedication to reliable processes and shared values, reflecting a culture built on responsibility and excellence.
E-Shop RIMSA: brightening ideas
For generations, we’ve been bringing ideas to light, providing professionals in various fields with carefully designed lighting solutions that boost performance and productivity. Our luminaires combine quality, functionality, and efficiency—ensuring excellence from the operating room to the goldsmith’s workshop.