Apparatus for illuminating the retina of an eye. The apparatus includes an illumination device and a lens system. The illumination device and the lens system combine to provide incident illumination from an apparent point source located within the lens system. The apparatus also includes an illumination transfer device. The illumination transfer device has two foci and the apparent point source of the lens system is provided at a first focus point of the illumination transfer device and an eye is accommodated at a second focus point of the illumination transfer device. The illumination transfer device transfers the incident illumination from the apparent point source into the eye to illuminate the retina.