A personal viewer system includes a head-mounted display linked to an optical generator which receives images from an electronic image source. The head-mounted display includes a scanner which receives light-based optical images from the optical generator and scans these images onto at least one ellipsoid reflector positionable in front of the eye of a user, such that a scanned image is reflected into the eye of the user. Preferably, the at least one ellipsoid reflector has an inner surface that is only partially reflective so as to permit viewing therethrough. The head-mounted display may include a motion orientation sensor for altering the generated image as the user's head is moved.