RAY VECTOR-FIELDS, PRENTICES EQUATION, AND FOURIER REPRESENTATION OF SPHEROCYLINDRICAL LENSES

Aim. To illustrate how the concept of ray vector fields can be used to demonstrate the elementary properties of thin lenses. Methods. Princi ples of matrix algebra are used. Results. Using simple geometry we giv e a generalization of Prentice's rule to include thick astigmatic lens es. Starting from the ray vector fields we show the connection between various representations of spherocylindrical lenses (Fourier represen tation, expansion in terms of the cross-cylinders). We suggest two cli nical areas to which these concepts can be applied.