Abstract: A system for evaluating a donor cornea includes a light source for generating a beam having a predetermined characteristic and a selected configuration. The light beam characteristic can be collimated light (wavefront analysis), white light (spectral analysis), or polarized light (polarization analysis). The beam configuration can be either circular in cross-section, or it can be a slit. When circular, the light beam is transmitted through the entire cornea to identify changes in the characteristics of the light (e.g. phase shift, spectral shift, or polarization changes). These changes then determine the optical properties of the donor cornea. When configured as a slit, the light is scattered off-axis and used to measure dimensions for a profile of the donor cornea. A computer then prepares an evaluation which includes information on both the optical qualities and the dimensional profile of the donor specimen.

Abstract: A device for imaging a wavefront to determine the optical properties of an eye includes a light source for directing an input light beam into the eye. Corrective optics focus this input beam onto a substantially circular area on the retina for reflection back through the eye as a return light beam from a point source. A shearing plate is used to introduce a phase disturbance into the return light beam and it includes at least one pattern that is positioned to determine phase shifts from the phase disturbance that was introduced into the return light beam. A computer is then used to create the wavefront image from these phase shifts.

Abstract: A sample cell for imaging a tissue sample includes a base member formed with a pedestal and a base window. A retainer ring is engaged with the pedestal to retain the tissue sample on the pedestal. A housing with a housing window is engageable with the base member to create a fluid chamber and establish an optical path extending through the base window, tissue sample, retainer ring and housing window. A light source directs a first light beam along the optical path to illuminate the tissue sample. Also, an optical detector outside the housing window receives the first light beam after it has be transmitted through the tissue sample. Additionally, the housing has a side window distanced from the optical path and oriented at an angle, &agr;. A second light beam configured as a slit having a length that extends across the breadth of the tissue sample and a width that is approximately equal to the depth of the tissue sample can separately illuminate the tissue sample.