A system for adjusting power employed by a medical device

A system (1) for adjusting power employed by a medical device incorporating light emitting devices (12, 14) and being used for measuring patient medical parameters, includes a plurality of light emitting devices. A power unit (60) is coupled to the light emitting devices and powers the light emitting devices responsive to respective control signals which determine power to be applied to the light emitting devices. A control unit (50) provides the control signals and is coupled to the power unit. The control signals intermittently turn off at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in a power save mode in response to a determination that a patient medical parameter value measured by the medical device, using an active light emitting device of the plurality of light emitting devices, is at a safe level.