Surgical wide-angle illuminator

A variable-intensity, wide-angle illuminator is disclosed, one embodiment comprising: a light source (12) for providing a light beam; an optical cable (14), optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam; a handpiece (10), operably coupled to the optical cable to receive the light beam; an optical fiber (22), operably coupled to the handpiece, wherein the optical fiber is optically coupled to the optical cable to receive and transmit the light beam; an optical element (20), optically coupled to a distal end of the optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and scattering the light beam to illuminate a surgical field, wherein the optical element comprises a hemispherically shaped sapphire; and a cannula (16), operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the optical fiber and the optical element. The optical element can be a small-gauge, diffusive sapphire element having a polished circular surface (25) co-incident with the distal end of the cannula and a light refracting hemispherical surface (26) facing the optical fiber. For example, the optical element can be a 19, 20 or 25 gauge optical element. Further, the cannula and the handpiece can be fabricated from biocompatible materials.