Operating light and a process for lighting an operating table by means of an operating light

A process for lighting an operating table, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing an operating light with a radiation source;
• producing light with the radiation source, the light having a locally different color temperature distribution in a work area, in a plane parallel to a working surface, wherein said locally color temperature distribution has a radially outwardly decreasing pattern with a plurality of radial areas of at least one of nearly constant, continuously changing and slightly decreasing color temperature, the plurality of radial areas comprising:
• a first area which covers an innermost part of the work area having a color temperature that is nearly constant and has a mean value between 4,500 K and 6,700 K;
• a second area, which adjoins the first area, the second area having a color temperature that decreases from an inside of the second area to an outside of the second area;
• and
• a third area, which adjoins the second area, said third area having a mean color temperature value between 3,000 K and 4,000 K.

An operating light for lighting a work area of a working surface of an operating table in an operating room, the operating light comprising:

• a radiation source producing light in the work area with a color temperature distribution that differs between local areas in a plane parallel to the working surface, the local areas of the color temperature distribution comprising:
• a first area covering an innermost part of the work area and having a color temperature that is nearly constant with a mean value between 4,500 K and 6,700 K;
• a second area adjacent to the first area and having a color temperature that decreases from an inside of the second area to an outside of the second area;
• and
• a third area adjacent to the second area and having a mean color temperature value between 3,000 K and 4,000 K.