Patent ID: 8427654

Claim:
An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for generating images of the eye and capable of rapidly switching between imaging the retina and the cornea, comprising: a light source for generating a light beam propagating along an axis; a beam divider for directing a first portion of the light beam into a reference arm and a second portion of the light beam into a sample arm; optics for scanning the light beam in the sample arm over the eye of a patient to a plurality of positions in a plane perpendicular to the propagation axis of the beam; a detector for measuring light radiation returning from the sample and reference arms and generating output signals in response thereto; a processor for generating images based on the output signals; a first lens positioned adjacent to the eye for focusing the light beam; a second lens; a motor under the control of the processor for selectively inserting and removing the second lens into the sample arm at a location before the first lens for adjusting the focal point of the the first lens; and means for changing the relative path length between the sample and reference arms in association with the insertion or removal of the second lens into the sample arm to selectively change the centering of the imaging region to coincide with the adjusted focal point of the light beam.