Hate the thought of a doctor poking around to find a vein in order to draw blood? Well thanks to new infrared technology they will never have to again.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service have been working with a new infrared light device that can locate blood flow and make it easier for nurses and patients receiving blood tests.
The hope is that the technology will also help those afraid of needles to come back and donate blood more frequently.
The technology works by placing an infrared light source over the arm which then reveals the naturally deoxygenated hemoglobin in the body. The hemoglobin reveals itself as it has the ability to absorb the light. Veins with blood flowing through then appear as glowing green lights.
The light source is completely safe, as long as you don’t stare directly at the lens, and can make drawing blood much easier and much less painful.
The Australian Red Cross are testing the device on 300 first timers and 600 returning donors between the ages of 18-30. They want to gauge if first timers are more likely to come back and if regular donors prefer the technology.
Testing is currently underway.