A system for controlling power to an endoscopic light source in a light controlled environment comprising: an imaging device comprising an imaging device controller; a light source comprising a light source controller; an image sensor; wherein the imaging device controller causes the system to perform the following processes: send an electric communication signal to the light source controller at a specified interval; turn off the light source for a predetermined sample period based on the electric communication signal; collect data from the image sensor for a single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period, wherein the data relates to an amount of ambient light received by the image sensor; analyze the single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period against a specified, predetermined threshold value; and control the operation of the light source based on the data received from the image sensor, wherein the controlling the operation of the light source comprises, in response to determining that the amount of ambient light is above the predetermined threshold value for the single frame, turning off the light source or reducing the power to the light source such that the light source is only emitting a small amount of light energy; wherein the light source is a pulsed light system. an imaging device comprising an imaging device controller; a light source comprising a light source controller; an image sensor; wherein the imaging device controller causes the system to perform the following processes: send an electric communication signal to the light source controller at a specified interval; turn off the light source for a predetermined sample period based on the electric communication signal; collect data from the image sensor for a single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period, wherein the data relates to an amount of ambient light received by the image sensor; analyze the single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period against a specified, predetermined threshold value; and control the operation of the light source based on the data received from the image sensor, wherein the controlling the operation of the light source comprises, in response to determining that the amount of ambient light is above the predetermined threshold value send an electric communication signal to the light source controller at a specified interval; turn off the light source for a predetermined sample period based on the electric communication signal; collect data from the image sensor for a single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period, wherein the data relates to an amount of ambient light received by the image sensor; analyze the single frame obtained during the predetermined sample period against a specified, predetermined threshold value; and control the operation of the light source based on the data received from the image sensor, wherein the controlling the operation of the light source comprises, in response to determining that the amount of ambient light is above the predetermined threshold value for the single frame, turning off the light source or reducing the power to the light source such that the light source is only emitting a small amount of light energy; wherein the light source is a pulsed light system.