Ray vector fields and representation of thin spherocylindrical lenses.
OBJECTIVE
To introduce the concept of the ray vector field and apply it to a problem in ophthalmic optics.


METHODS
Matrix and linear algebra are used to relate ray vector fields and a representation of thin spherocylindrical lenses.


RESULTS
Equations were derived relating ray vector fields and a particular coordinate system recommended previously. The method is illustrated with a simple example from ophthalmic optics, namely, addition of spherocylindrical lenses. We also illustrate the method by considering two spherocylinders separated by a distance.


CONCLUSIONS
Ray vector fields are intuitively simple and can be used to solve complex ophthalmic optics problems.
Lakshminarayanan
V
V
School of Optometry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, USA.
Varadharajan
S
S
D005139:Eyeglasses; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008433:Mathematics; D055095:Optics and Photonics