Abstract: Presented herein is an astigmatism correcting coupler. The couplet comprises a collimating lens, a focusing lens, and a power adjusting lens element. The power adjusting lens element may be positioned intermediate the collimating lens and focusing lens, or positioned after the focusing lens element.

Abstract: In a device and method, the optical path length through an optical element is adjustable with high precision. The optical element has a first segment formed from a first optical material, the first segment having a first face at a first end and a second face at a second end opposing the first face, the second face being non-parallel with the first. The first and second faces are disposed on a beam path. The element also includes a second segment formed from a second optical material, having a third face at a third end and a fourth face at a fourth end opposing the third face, the third face being non-parallel with the fourth face. At least one of the first and second segments is translatable across the beam path so as to change an optical path length through the optical element.

Abstract: An interferometer uses birefringent elements for splitting and combining beams of orthogonal polarization, and for changing the relative phase between the orthogonally polarized beams. A polarization sensitive detector is used to detect a fringe pattern whose periodicity is dependent on the relative optical paths traversed by the orthogonally polarized beams. In an embodiment of the invention, a birefringent beam splitter has an input path and first and second output paths. A birefringent beam combiner has first and second input paths and an output path, the first and second input paths of the birefringent beam combiner aligned respectively with the first and second output paths of the birefringent beam splitter. A polarization sensitive detector is disposed on the output path of the birefringent beam combiner to detect the periodicity of the fringe pattern.

Abstract: An astigmatism-correcting coupler includes a collimating lens for collimating a beam of coherent light output from a laser, a power adjusting lens for reducing any astigmatism of the collimated beam of coherent light output, and a focusing lens for focusing the collimated beam of coherent light output into an optical fiber. The focusing lens is a graded-index (GRIN) focusing lens that is cylindrically polished to have different focal powers in lateral and transverse planes. The cylindrical polished GRIN focusing lens corrects for astigmatic effects by adjusting the power of the light output on the transverse and lateral planes.

Abstract: Presented herein is an astigmatism correcting coupler. The couplet comprises a collimating lens, a focusing lens, and a power adjusting lens element. The power adjusting lens element may be positioned intermediate the collimating lens and focusing lens, or positioned after the focusing lens element.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for performing corneal refractive surgery by ablating a portion of a corneal surface of an eye. The apparatus includes a pulsed laser for producing a pulsed output beam of light. A scanning mechanism scans the output beam, and the output beam is operatively associated with the scanning mechanism such that the output beam may be scanned over a predetermined surface defined by a mathematically derived ablation layer boundary curve for each ablation layer. A controller is operatively associated with the scanning mechanism so as to deliver output beams to the predetermined surface such that center points of output beams may be disposed within the ablation layer boundary curve, on the ablation layer boundary curve, and outside but within a predetermined distance from a nearest point on the ablation layer boundary curve so as to integrate the edges of the ablation layer boundary curve to more closely correspond to the desired ablated shape.