A portable slit-lamp apparatus, including a body (11) able to be held in the hand of an operator and a solid state lamp means (55) and associated optics (52) carried by the body for generating a narrow beam of light and projecting the beam onto the cornea of a patient s eye for reflection by structures of the eye, when the body is held at a suitable position in front of the eye. Means (22) is mounted in cooperation with the body and the solid state lamp means to detect a reflection of the narrow beam of light by structures of the eye and to make an image thereof, which image is, or is processable to provide, a digital record of the reflection.