Examination Lights Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (LED and Halogen); By End-user (Hospitals, Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The global examination lights market size was USD 210.0 million in 2023. The market is projected to grow from USD 219.9 million in 2024 to USD 358.0 million by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2024-2032). Moreover, the U.S. examination lights market size is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of USD 106.6 million by 2032, driven by increase in number of examinations and diagnostic procedures due to higher emphasis by government agencies.

Examination lights are primarily designed to provide a bright and clear light field to healthcare providers during routine examination or diagnosis. A simplistic design with maximum efficiency in terms of visibility is the pivotal aim of manufacturers while designing this type of light. Various clinical features include an intense light output, cool exteriors during longer duration of usage, excellent color rendition, and maximum life of the light. The influx of technology, along with increasing focus on R&D by market players, has led to the introduction of new products, with shadow-less technology, efficient white lighting, and other features.

Introduction of LED solutions has also offered new economic and clinical benefits to healthcare settings, including longer shelf life of the products, lower power consumption than traditional halogen counterparts, and improved lighting during procedures.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the examination lights market growth. Key players reported a decline in their revenues from the sales of their products owing to the significant reduction in the number of diagnostic examination procedures during the COVID-19 restrictions.

• For instance, Hill-Rom Services, Inc.’s surgical solution division revenue decreased by -27.8% in 2020 as compared to prior year and was valued at USD 316.9 million. The sales declined as a result of COVID-19 related hospital access restrictions that delayed capital projects and installations.

However, as the countries across the world re-opened, due to the gradual reopening of dental, dermatology and other general practitioners. It led to an increase in the patient visits for their routine checkups and other diagnostic examinations, which the market to recover in 2021.

Examination Lights Market Trends

Rapid Shift Towards LED Technology in Developed and Emerging Countries

The demand for these solutions is projected to witness a positive growth trajectory during the forecast period. High growth is majorly due to increasing demand for new unit shipments of examination lights across several medical facilities. Growth in the number of medical facilities such as clinics and other hospital-based outpatient settings, has led to the surge in adoption across such facilities. Moreover, the rising trend of phasing out higher-energy halogen light bulbs, with an aim to reduce energy emissions and save consumer’s energy bills, has created a lucrative opportunity for the LED-based exam solutions to witness a robust demand across the globe.

This is creating a huge opportunity for market players, as there is a strong focus on expediting the process of replacing the current installed base of halogen lights in existing healthcare facilities, especially in developed countries citing the phase-out plans being rolled out. Moreover, increasing number of new clinics and hospitals providing out-patient facilities will further surge the demand for LED-based products in these newly built infrastructures. Growing number of specialty clinics and hospital based out-patient facilities across the emerging and developed countries will further support the adoption of LED based products. Moreover, LED lights have a longer lifespan than traditional halogen bulbs, reducing the frequency of replacements and maintenance costs for medical facilities, boosting their adoption and supporting the market growth.

Examination Lights Market Growth Factors

Technological Advancement in Material, Energy Source and Suspension Design to Boost Demand

Noteworthy technological advancements in materials and energy sources have revolutionized examination lights, and the outpatient care arena is beginning to reap the benefits. Sophisticated products use novel energy sources such as the newest light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Hospitals and other outpatient facilities would receive the major benefit of these innovations due to the typical budget for surgical procedures.

With the advent of new technology pertaining to the suspension design of these lights such as its lighter weight, mobile and more versatile nature, it further expands its application areas. For instance, certain examination lights can easily be used in cosmetic surgeries and other minimally invasive or minor procedures. Hence, improvements in both suspension design and light management have created a new generation that are both significantly brighter and easier to maneuver than the traditional lights.

LED lights offer enhanced clinical benefits over traditional such as accuracy in color rendering, and pure white color, are some of the major factors fueling the demand in healthcare settings globally. Moreover, the average life-span of halogen lights (continuous operation) is 4,000 hours to 6,000 hours, while that of LED lights is 50,000 hours to 60,000 hours. This greater longevity of LED solutions has significantly reduced the replacement rate, leading to improved overall maintenance cost of examination and operating rooms. Moreover, owing to aforementioned benefits, several companies are focusing on the commercialization of advanced LED lights.

• For instance, Delta Medical International Ltd announced the introduction of a wide range of examination lights for its use in different clinical situations. These newly introduced examination lights are integrated with the latest high-intensity LED technology, providing optimum brightness, long life, and preventing unwanted heat.

Furthermore, the integration of advanced technology, such as wireless connectivity and remote control features, has further enhanced the functionality and usability of examination lights. Healthcare providers can now easily control and adjust the lighting settings from a distance, optimizing their workflow, and improving overall efficiency in clinical settings.

The aforementioned factors are anticipated to boost demand for these solutions across all medical facilities, thus supporting a positive growth rate for the global market across the forecast period.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Lack of Standard Regulatory Norms to Hamper Growth

Lack of standard regulatory guidelines associated with examination lights is anticipated to hamper market growth. This is particularly true in developing economies, where healthcare equipment assessments are rare and little to no regulatory controls exist to prevent the imports or use of substandard equipment including examination lights. With the majority of healthcare equipment in emerging countries being imported, this leaves them prey to unscrupulous market influences. Furthermore, increasing cases of healthcare frauds are anticipated to restrict market growth up to certain extent. Examples of these issues include illegal supply contract awards that lead to surge in prices of medical equipment, or simply no trace of what equipment is being sold in a country, nor by whom.

• For instance, in November 2023, a Texas-based owner of two durable medical equipment companies were found guilty of his role in a scheme to pay illegal kickbacks, resulting in over USD 11.0 million in payment from Medicare and USD 20.0 million submitted in claims. This fraud compromised the medical system and increased health care costs for U.S. citizens, disturbing the regulatory standards.

Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the sellers of medical lights are authorized dealers as several buyers are deceived with low-quality look-a-like copies and used lights that are sold as new. Authorized dealers clearly mark used and pre-owned lights. They also provide replacement bulbs, replacement handles, and many other accessories and parts. Hence, the aforementioned factor is anticipated to restrict growth of this market up to a certain extent.

Examination Lights Market Segmentation Analysis

By Type Analysis

LED Segment to Account for Maximum Share

Based on type, the global market is segmented into LED and halogen.

Among type, the LED segment dominated the market in 2023. Certain benefits offered by LED lights such as long term cost reduction, quality and quantity of illumination for deep cavities, improved environmental performance, and adequate intensity are projected to boost the adoption of LED lights among the healthcare professionals during the forecast period.

Moreover, the government imposed bans on halogen lights in European countries, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina, coupled with the phasing out of these lights in other regions and countries is anticipated to augment the demand for LED lights during the forecast timeframe.

• For instance, European Energy Efficiency regulations, and proposed steps towards minimizing the impact of lighting laid down by the International Energy Agency (IEA), led to various countries banning use of halogen lights in various settings including healthcare. European countries have been at the forefront, where U.K., and other countries have imposed bans on halogen lights during 2019-2020. 

By End-user Analysis

Clinics Accounted for the Highest Examination Lights Market Share in 2023

Based on End-users, the global market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, and others.

The clinics segment held the dominating share in 2023. Exponentially growing number of clinics including dental, gynecology, and orthopedic clinics globally, is leading to a higher demand for examination lights from these healthcare settings. For instance, in January 2023, according to Instant Urgent Care, nearly 11,150 urgent care clinics have been established in the U.S. and are expanding at a rate of 7.0% each year.

On the other hand, increasing number of hospitals, and rising number of outpatient visits globally, is leading to increasing demand for this type of lights. This along with the increasing investment by public and private players to launch advanced lights is driving the adoption of these devices in hospitals.

• For instance, in October 2023, according to the MJH Life Sciences, outpatient services, including surgeries involving examination lights, have surged to 293.0% since 2019.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Europe to Dominate Market due to Increasing Percentage of Patient Population Undergoing Diagnostic Examinations

The market size in Europe stood at USD 82.7 million in 2023. Europe held the largest share in the global market. Rising prevalence of dermatological disorders, dental disorders, and other chronic conditions coupled with the higher percentage of the patient population undergoing diagnostic examinations, is driving the demand for these lights among the healthcare settings in the region. This along with the presence of improved healthcare infrastructure is anticipated to favor the region’s dominance during the forecast period.

Market in North America is fueled by higher emphasis of national and regional government agencies towards the early diagnosis, along with the higher awareness among the general population towards prevalence of disease conditions. This has been instrumental in driving the growth of the number of examinations and diagnostic procedures performed each year in the region. For instance, according to the article published by NCBI, more than 13 billion diagnostic procedures are performed every year in the U.S. This is therefore projected to augment the demand for the lights in the region during the forecast period.

On the other hand, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow with the highest CAGR. Increasing penetration of market players in emerging countries, high volume of diagnostic examination procedures and rise in the number of healthcare facilities are some of the major factors responsible for the rapid growth of this region.

Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are also projected to register steady growth during the forecast period. High investment by the public sector in the Middle East countries in healthcare infrastructure is projected to fuel the demand for these lights in the region during the forecast period.

List of Key Companies in Examination Lights Market

Stryker and Hillrom Services Inc. to Remain Dominant Players in Market

The global market is semi-consolidated with major players such as Stryker, STERIS, Hillrom Services Inc., and Getinge AB comprising a dominant market share. These major players are constantly focusing on commercializing their products worldwide, launching new and innovative lights, and entering into strategic partnerships with other players in order to expand their product portfolio.

• For instance, in January 2021, Stryker partnered with Texas Health Hospital Mansfield, the first medical institution that has adopted the full suite of Stryker’s products in order to provide reliable medical products to healthcare professionals and patients in the operating room, which also includes lighting solutions (examination and surgical lights) provided by Stryker.

Other prominent players include, Technomed India, Skytron, S.I.M.E.O.N. Medical GmbH & Co. KG, Dr. Mach GmbH & Co. KG, among others.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• S.I.M.E.O.N. Medical GmbH & Co. KG (Tuttlingen, Germany)


• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. (Indiana, U.S.)


• SKYTRON, LLC (Michigan, U.S.)


• Stryker (Kalamazoo, U.S.)


• Technomed India (New Delhi, India)


• Getinge AB (Gothenburg, Sweden)


• Herbert Waldmann GmbH & Co. KG (Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany)


• Teleflex Incorporated (Wayne, U.S.)


• Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Lübeck, Germany)


• Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (California, U.S.)


• Invacare Corporation (Ohio, U.S.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• January 2024 - MERIVAARA CORP. announced the addition of Q-Flow 1 examination light and Q-Flow 2 minor surgical light to its Q-Flow surgical light product family at the Arab Health 2024 Exhibition & Congress.


• December 2023 - Medical Illumination acquired IsoLux, a provider of surgical headlights, to expand Medical Illumination's surgical and medical lighting portfolio, including examination lights and help advance patient care.


• June 2021 – Stryker partnered with Texas Health Hospital Mansfield, the first medical institution that has adopted the full suite of Stryker’s products in order to provide reliable medical products to healthcare professionals and patients in the operating room, which also includes lighting solutions (examination and surgical lights) provided by Stryker.


• July 2018 - Herbert Waldmann GmbH & Co. KG, introduced Derungs-brand Triango100 minor surgery/examination light. The system combines latest light technology with high ergonomic standards, a special arm providing high precise positioning and specialized for various applications.


• April 2020 - Bender UK Ltd. introduced two smaller lights, Merivaara’s Merilux X1 and MV 100, for surgery and health clinic examinations. These lights work best in examination rooms, recovery rooms, emergency rooms, and ICUs.

REPORT COVERAGE

The global examination lights market research report offers a detailed market analysis. It focuses on key aspects such as leading companies, type, and End-user. Besides this, it offers insights into the market trends and underlines key industry developments. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market over recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation