Multi-channel subjective refractor

A method of operating a multi-channel subjective refractor, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first image with a first refraction and a second image with a second refraction with the multi-channel subjective refractor;
• presenting the first image with the first refraction and the second image with the second refraction simultaneously for an eye of a patient by the multi-channel subjective refractor;
• and
• prompting the patient to identify the sharper of the first image and the second image, the generating comprising:
• generating the first image with a first display;
• generating the second image with a second display;
• refracting the first image by a first channel with a first channel refraction;
• refracting the second image by a second channel with a second channel refraction;
• receiving and combining the first image and the second image by a beam combiner;
• receiving the first image and the second image from the beam combiner by a shared channel;
• refracting, by a combination of the shared channel with the first channel, the first image with the first refraction;
• and refracting, by a combination of the shared channel with the second channel, the second image with the second refraction, wherein:
• the first channel refraction comprises at least one of a first channel defocus and a first channel cylinder;
• the second channel refraction comprises at least one of a second channel defocus and a second channel cylinder;
• the first refraction comprises at least one of a first defocus and a first cylinder;
• and the second refraction comprises at least one of a second defocus and a second cylinder.