A surgical access device comprising: a tissue separating obturator comprising: an elongate shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a first lumen between an open proximal end and a distal end; and a transparent distal tip portion with an inner surface and an outer surface adapted for penetrating tissue; the distal tip portion disposed at the distal end of the shaft portion; at least part of the tip portion having a generally tapered configuration; and wherein the first lumen is sized and configured to receive an optical instrument having a distal end adapted to receive an image and the tip portion being adapted to permit passage of an image; a lock disposed at the proximal end of the shaft portion; the access device further including an optical instrument having an outside diameter; characterized in that the lock has an inside diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the optical instrument in an unlocked state and is adapted to frictionally engage against an outside diameter of the optical instrument inserted into the first lumen to frictionally lock the optical instrument in an axial position in the shaft portion. a tissue separating obturator comprising: an elongate shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a first lumen between an open proximal end and a distal end; and a transparent distal tip portion with an inner surface and an outer surface adapted for penetrating tissue; the distal tip portion disposed at the distal end of the shaft portion; at least part of the tip portion having a generally tapered configuration; and wherein the first lumen is sized and configured to receive an optical instrument having a distal end adapted to receive an image and the tip portion being adapted to permit passage of an image; a lock disposed at the proximal end of the shaft portion; the access device further including an optical instrument having an outside diameter; characterized in that the lock has an inside diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the optical instrument in an unlocked state and is adapted to frictionally engage against an outside diameter of the optical instrument inserted into the first lumen to frictionally lock the optical instrument in an axial position in the shaft portion. an elongate shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a first lumen between an open proximal end and a distal end; and a transparent distal tip portion with an inner surface and an outer surface adapted for penetrating tissue; the distal tip portion disposed at the distal end of the shaft portion; at least part of the tip portion having a generally tapered configuration; and wherein the first lumen is sized and configured to receive an optical instrument having a distal end adapted to receive an image and the tip portion being adapted to permit passage of an image; a lock disposed at the proximal end of the shaft portion; the access device further including an optical instrument having an outside diameter; characterized in that the lock has an inside diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the optical instrument in an unlocked state and is adapted to frictionally engage against an outside diameter of the optical instrument inserted into the first lumen to frictionally lock the optical instrument in an axial position in the shaft portion.