A surgical retraction device, comprising: an illumination layer to accommodate an array of illuminating elements to generate light to be directed toward a surgical area; a control layer to control: a placement of an illuminated surgical area relative to the array of illuminating elements, an intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements, or a combination thereof, using a single control element; the surgical retraction device further comprising the surgical control element, the single control element being configured to: be moved along a first axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the first axis, be moved along a second axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the second axis, and be depressed along a third axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, to control the intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements by affecting the amount of current supplied to the illuminating elements. an illumination layer to accommodate an array of illuminating elements to generate light to be directed toward a surgical area; a control layer to control: a placement of an illuminated surgical area relative to the array of illuminating elements, an intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements, or a combination thereof, using a single control element; the surgical retraction device further comprising the surgical control element, the single control element being configured to: be moved along a first axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the first axis, be moved along a second axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the second axis, and be depressed along a third axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, to control the intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements by affecting the amount of current supplied to the illuminating elements. a placement of an illuminated surgical area relative to the array of illuminating elements, an intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements, or a combination thereof, using a single control element; the surgical retraction device further comprising the surgical control element, the single control element being configured to: be moved along a first axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the first axis, be moved along a second axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the second axis, and be depressed along a third axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, to control the intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements by affecting the amount of current supplied to the illuminating elements. be moved along a first axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the first axis, be moved along a second axis to control a direction of light from the array of illuminating elements parallel to the second axis, and be depressed along a third axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, to control the intensity of light from the array of illuminating elements by affecting the amount of current supplied to the illuminating elements.