Patent ID: 8042944

Claim:
An apparatus for observing an eye, comprising: an imaging device ( 9 ) that is provided with a magnification unit ( 11 ) and an observation unit ( 10 ), wherein the magnification unit ( 11 ) has an objective lens ( 12 ) for receiving observation light rays from the eye, and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system ( 15 ) comprising an OCT light source ( 16 ) for emitting OCT light, splitting means ( 17 ) for splitting the OCT light into a reference beam and a sample beam, and transferring means ( 33 ) for directing the sample beam from the splitting means ( 17 ) through the objective lens ( 12 ) to the eye, wherein the OCT system ( 15 ) comprises an OCT module ( 19 ) that is detachably connected between the magnification unit ( 11 ) and the observation unit ( 10 ), wherein the magnification unit ( 11 ) and the observation unit ( 10 ) are aligned with respect to each other along an observation path, and wherein the magnification unit ( 11 ) has a rear face that faces towards the observation unit ( 10 ), and wherein the observation unit ( 10 ) has a front face that faces towards the magnification unit ( 11 ), and wherein the rear face of the magnification unit ( 11 ) and the front face of the observation unit ( 10 ) are provided with mating connecting members which can be detachably connected to each other, and wherein the OCT module ( 19 ) is aligned along the observation path, and wherein the OCT module ( 19 ) has a front face ( 71 ) that faces towards the magnification unit ( 11 ) and a rear face ( 72 ) that faces towards the observation unit ( 10 ), and wherein the front face ( 71 ) of the OCT module ( 19 ) is provided with a connecting member mating with the connecting member of the rear face of the magnification unit ( 11 ), and wherein the rear face ( 72 ) of the OCT module ( 19 ) is provided with a connecting member mating with the connecting member of the front face of the observation unit ( 10 ), and wherein the connecting members of the OCT module ( 19 ) can be detachably connected to the mating connecting members of the magnification unit ( 11 ) and the observation unit ( 10 ), respectively.