Analysis of the performance of the Hartmann-Shack sensor in the human eye

A description of a Hartmann-Shack sensor to measure the aberrations of the human eye is presented. We performed an analysis of the accuracy and limitations of the sensor using experimental results and computer simulations. We compared the ocular modulation transfer function obtained from simultaneously recorded double-pass and Hartmann-Shack images. The following factors affecting the sensor performance were evaluated: the statistical accuracy, the number of modes used to reconstruct the wave front, the size of the microlenses, and the exposure time. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America [S0740-3232(00)00108-3].