cylindrical lens

optics

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June 25, 2026

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A cylindrical lens is an optical lens that has a curved surface shaped like the side of a cylinder. Unlike spherical lenses, which have uniform power in all directions, cylindrical lenses possess power only in the meridian perpendicular to the cylinder's axis. This unique property makes them useful for applications where varying magnification is needed between perpendicular directions.1

Cylindrical lenses are employed in anamorphic lenses for some wide-screen movie systems, compressing images horizontally during filming and stretching them during projection. They are also used to correct astigmatism in eyeglasses, featuring a stronger curvature in one meridian than the other, similar to the bowl of a teaspoon. While most lenses use spherical surfaces for ease of manufacturing, cylindrical surfaces are utilized for specific optical corrections and functions.12

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optics
Nonclassical imaging systems
Cylindrical lenses are therefore used wherever it is desired to vary the magnification from one meridian to a perpendicular meridian. Cylindrical surfaces are employed in the anamorphic lenses used in some wide-screen motion-picture systems to compress the image horizontally in the camera and stretch it…
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Cylindrical lenses are therefore used wherever it is desired to vary the magnification from one meridian to a perpendicular meridian. Cylindrical surfaces are employed in the anamorphic lenses used in some wide-screen motion-picture systems to compress the image horizontally in the camera and stretch it…
Read More