A bidirectional Cartesian-cylindrical converter system and method for converting the spatial distribution of polarization states include a radial polarization converter capable of receiving a linearly polarized, spatially uniform, polarization distribution beam in order to convert it into a beam having a radial or azimuthal distribution of polarization states about an axis of symmetry. An optical device compensates for the phase shift induced by the radial polarization converter and is capable of introducing a spatially uniform phase shift to compensate for the phase shift introduced by the radial polarization converter.