A surgical probe system (2, 2a, 2b), comprising: a surgical probe (10, 10a, 10b) having a probe needle (12, 12a, 12b); an optical fiber (13, 13a, 13b) incorporated onto the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b), wherein a proximal end of the optical fiber is connected to a light source and a distal end of the optical fiber, in use, projects illumination light from the light source over a tip of the probe needle; and an adjustment mechanism that is adapted to vary the illumination light between a first beam having a first numerical aperture for vitreous visualization and a second beam having a second numerical aperture for background illumination, wherein the second numerical aperture is larger than the first numerical aperture; characterised in that: the adjustment mechanism adjusts the numerical aperture by moving lenses incorporated in the light source and focusing the illumination light onto the optical fiber relative to each other to adjust a light angle of the illumination light or by switching a light path of the illumination light between two different sets of lenses; and in that the surgical probe (10, 10a, 10b) further comprises: a retinal proximity detection sensor (21a, 21b) that is adapted to detect proximity or distance between the probe needle and a retina during surgery, and a processor configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on retinal proximity detection signals received from the retinal proximity detection sensor (21, 21a, 21b) such that the processor switches to the first numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located further than a first pre-programmed far distance from the retina and switches to the second numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located less than a pre-programmed close distance from the retina. a surgical probe (10, 10a, 10b) having a probe needle (12, 12a, 12b); an optical fiber (13, 13a, 13b) incorporated onto the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b), wherein a proximal end of the optical fiber is connected to a light source and a distal end of the optical fiber, in use, projects illumination light from the light source over a tip of the probe needle; and an adjustment mechanism that is adapted to vary the illumination light between a first beam having a first numerical aperture for vitreous visualization and a second beam having a second numerical aperture for background illumination, wherein the second numerical aperture is larger than the first numerical aperture; characterised in that: the adjustment mechanism adjusts the numerical aperture by moving lenses incorporated in the light source and focusing the illumination light onto the optical fiber relative to each other to adjust a light angle of the illumination light or by switching a light path of the illumination light between two different sets of lenses; and in that the surgical probe (10, 10a, 10b) further comprises: a retinal proximity detection sensor (21a, 21b) that is adapted to detect proximity or distance between the probe needle and a retina during surgery, and a processor configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on retinal proximity detection signals received from the retinal proximity detection sensor (21, 21a, 21b) such that the processor switches to the first numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located further than a first pre-programmed far distance from the retina and switches to the second numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located less than a pre-programmed close distance from the retina. the adjustment mechanism adjusts the numerical aperture by moving lenses incorporated in the light source and focusing the illumination light onto the optical fiber relative to each other to adjust a light angle of the illumination light or by switching a light path of the illumination light between two different sets of lenses; and in that the surgical probe (10, 10a, 10b) further comprises: a retinal proximity detection sensor (21a, 21b) that is adapted to detect proximity or distance between the probe needle and a retina during surgery, and a processor configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on retinal proximity detection signals received from the retinal proximity detection sensor (21, 21a, 21b) such that the processor switches to the first numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located further than a first pre-programmed far distance from the retina and switches to the second numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located less than a pre-programmed close distance from the retina. a retinal proximity detection sensor (21a, 21b) that is adapted to detect proximity or distance between the probe needle and a retina during surgery, and a processor configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on retinal proximity detection signals received from the retinal proximity detection sensor (21, 21a, 21b) such that the processor switches to the first numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located further than a first pre-programmed far distance from the retina and switches to the second numerical aperture when the probe needle (12, 12a, 12b) is located less than a pre-programmed close distance from the retina.