Compact wavefront sensor module and its attachment to or integration with an ophthalmic instrument

An ophthalmic device for measuring properties of a subject eye comprising:

• an ophthalmic instrument having an optical input port configured to receive light returned from a subject eye and having a characteristic working distance between the optical input port and a subject eye;
• a wavefront sensor module attached to or integrated with the ophthalmic instrument for eye examination and/or vision correction procedures, with the wavefront sensor module having oppositely disposed first and second surfaces and an interior, with the first surface having a first optical window configured to pass light between the interior of the wavefront sensor module and a subject eye and with the second surface having a second optical window configured to pass light between the interior of the wavefront sensor module and the optical input port of the ophthalmic instrument, where the first and second optical windows are aligned to form an optical path to pass light between a subject eye and the ophthalmic instrument via the interior of the wavefront sensor module and with the wavefront sensor module comprising:
• a front lens, being the first lens of a wavefront relay, disposed substantially at the first optical window of the wavefront sensor module and oriented substantially perpendicular to the optical path, with the front lens configured to focus light returned from a subject eye and to transmit the light along the optical path;
• a beam splitter/combiner disposed along the optical path to intercept light transmitted by the front lens, with the beam splitter/combiner configured to transmit at least a portion of the light returned from the subject eye meant for the ophthalmic instrument, and to reflect at least a wavefront beam returned from the subject eye to the interior of the wavefront sensor module;
• and
• a compensating lens or an optical window disposed substantially at the second optical window and configured to compensate the influence of the front lens on the light returned from the subject eye meant for the ophthalmic instrument and/or to direct the illumination light from the ophthalmic instrument to the eye.

A modified surgical microscope comprising

• a housing, with the housing having an optical input port and a pair of stereoscopic eyepieces;
• an objective lens disposed at the optical input port of the housing, with the objective lens configured to function as both the first lens of a wavefront relay and the objective lens of the surgical microscope to focus light returned from a subject eye and to transmit the light along a first optical path;
• a beam splitter/combiner disposed along the first optical path next to the objective lens to intercept light transmitted by the objective lens, with the beam splitter/combiner configured to transmit at least a portion of the light returned from the subject eye meant for viewing through the surgical microscope, and to reflect at least a wavefront beam returned from the subject eye along a wavefront relay optical path;
• a compensating lens disposed substantially along the first optical path next to the beam splitter/combiner;
• a pair of stereoscopic optical viewing ports disposed next to the compensating lens with an offset behind the objective lens to receive light transmitted through the objective lens, the beam splitter/combiner, and the compensating lens;
• and
• a folded optical viewing path including optical components between the pair of optical viewing ports and the pair of stereoscopic eyepieces;
• wherein the compensating lens functions to compensate the effect caused by the offset so that the microscopic view presented to the surgeon is substantially the same as if the stereoscopic viewing ports were behind the objective lens as in a standard non-modified surgical microscope.

A modified surgical microscope comprising

• a housing, with the housing having an optical input port and a pair of stereoscopic eyepieces;
• an objective lens disposed at the optical input port of the housing, with the objective lens configured to function as both the first lens of a wavefront relay and the objective lens of the surgical microscope to focus light returned from a subject eye and to transmit the light along a first optical path;
• a beam splitter/combiner disposed along the first optical path next to the objective lens to intercept light transmitted by the objective lens, with the beam splitter/combiner configured to transmit at least a portion of the light returned from the subject eye meant for viewing through the surgical microscope, and to reflect at least a wavefront beam returned from the subject eye along a wavefront relay optical path;
• a compensating lens disposed substantially along the first optical path next to the beam splitter/combiner;
• a pair of stereoscopic optical viewing ports disposed next to the compensating lens with an offset behind the objective lens to receive light transmitted through the objective lens, the beam splitter/combiner, and the compensating lens;
• and
• a folded optical viewing path including optical components between the pair of optical viewing ports and the pair of stereoscopic eyepieces;
• wherein the compensating lens functions to compensate the effect caused by the offset so that the microscopic view presented to the surgeon is substantially the same as if the stereoscopic viewing ports were behind the objective lens as in a standard non-modified surgical microscope and wherein the use of the compensating lens and the folded optical viewing path allows the same optical components between the pair of optical viewing ports and the pair of stereoscopic eyepieces to be used as in a standard non-modified stereoscopic surgical microscope having a viewing path of substantially the same optical length as the folded viewing path.