Abstract: A system for holding an optical rod, contains an optical mount having a hole traversing throughout a body of the optical mount, wherein the optical mount is a c-shaped collar clamp. The system also contains an optical rod having a circumferential area and a split sleeve encompassing the optical rod circumferential area for at least a portion of the axial length of the optical rod. The split sleeve and optical rod are inserted within the optical mount hole, and the split sleeve contains an inner surface and an outer surface, where material of the split sleeve does not conform intimately with the optical rod so as to maintain total internal reflection conditions.