
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Dioptrics
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Dioptrics is the study of the refraction of light, especially by lenses. Telescopes that create their image with an objective that is a convex lens (refractors) are said to be “dioptric” telescopes.
An early study of dioptrics was conducted by Ptolemy in relationship to the human eye as well as refraction in media such as water. Understanding of the principles of dioptrics was further expanded by Alhazen, considered as the father of modern optics.
