Ophthalmic optical coherence tomography with multiple resolutions

1. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography, the system comprising:

a light source;

an output lens; and

a set of optical components between the light source and the output lens, the set of optical components comprising an afocal zoom telescope;

wherein the set of optical components is adapted to provide imaging both at a first field of view with a first resolution and at a second field of view with a second resolution;

wherein the first field of view is wider than the second field of view and the second resolution is higher than the first resolution;

wherein the set of optical components has a first configuration providing the first field of view with the first resolution and a second configuration providing the second field of view with the second resolution;

wherein the afocal zoom telescope is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its first position the set of optical components is in its first configuration, and wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its second position the set of optical components is in its second configuration;

wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its first position, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source passes through the afocal zoom telescope, and wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its second position, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source does not pass through the afocal zoom telescope; and

wherein the set of optical components is adapted to provide imaging at least at the first field of view by passing light emitted from the light source through the afocal zoom telescope.

2. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 1 , wherein the afocal zoom telescope comprises a zoom lens, wherein the position of the zoom lens is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the zoom lens is in its first position the set of optical components is in its first configuration, and wherein when the zoom lens is in its second position the set of optical components is in its second configuration.

3. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 1 , wherein the afocal zoom telescope is movable between its first position and its second position by rotation of the afocal zoom telescope.

4. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 1 , wherein the afocal zoom telescope is movable between its first position and its second position by translation of the afocal zoom telescope.

5. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 1 , wherein when the set of optical components is in its first configuration, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source travels along a first optical path, and wherein when the set of optical components is in its second configuration, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source travels along a second optical path.

6. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 5 , wherein the first optical path passes through the afocal zoom telescope, and wherein the second optical path does not pass through the afocal zoom telescope.

7. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 6 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises a first mirror at an input end of the set of optical components, wherein the first mirror is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the first mirror is in its first position the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source travels along the first optical path, and wherein when the first mirror is in its second position, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source travels along the second optical path.

8. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 7 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises polarization optics at an input end of the set of optical components, a polarization rotation device in the second optical path, and a polarizing beam splitter at an output end of the set of optical components.

9. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 7 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises a second mirror at an output end of the set of optical components.

10. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 6 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises a beam splitter at an output end of the set of optical components, and wherein the beam splitter is in both the first optical path and the second optical path.

11. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 6 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises a beam splitter, a first shutter, and a second shutter at an input end of the set of optical components, wherein when the set of optical components is in its first configuration, the second shutter prevents light emitted from the light source from traveling through the second optical path, and wherein when the set of optical components is in its second configuration, the first shutter prevents light emitted from the light source from traveling through the first optical path.

12. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 6 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises a polarization rotation device and a polarizing beam splitter an input end of the set of optical components, and a polarizing beam splitter at an output end of the set of optical components.

13. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 1 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises an input polarizing beam splitter at an input end of the set of optical components, wherein the input polarizing beam splitter is adapted to split incoming light such that light at a first polarization travels along a first optical path that passes through the afocal zoom telescope and such that light at a second polarization travels along a second optical path that does not pass through the afocal zoom telescope.

14. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 13 , wherein the first polarization is one of TE or TM polarization and the second polarization is the other of TE or TM polarization.

15. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 13 , wherein the set of optical components further comprises an output polarizing beam splitter at an output end of the set of optical components, and wherein the output polarizing beam splitter is in both the first optical path and the second optical path.

16. A system for performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography as in claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises an interferometer with detectors adapted to select each of the first polarization and the second polarization.

17. A method of performing ophthalmic optical coherence tomography, the method comprising:

emitting light from a light source;

passing light from the light source through a set of optical components at a first field of view with a first resolution; and

passing light from the light source through the set of optical components at a second field of view with a second resolution;

wherein the first field of view is wider than the second field of view and the second resolution is higher than the first resolution;

wherein the set of optical components has a first configuration providing the first field of view with the first resolution and a second configuration providing the second field of view with the second resolution;

wherein the afocal zoom telescope is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its first position the set of optical components is in its first configuration, and wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its second position the set of optical components is in its second configuration;

wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its first position, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source passes through the afocal zoom telescope, and wherein when the afocal zoom telescope is in its second position, the system is configured such that light emitted from the light source does not pass through the afocal zoom telescope; and

wherein the step of passing light from the light source through the set of optical components at the first field of view with the first resolution comprises passing light emitted from the light source through an afocal zoom telescope.