A metrology system includes a collinear array of uniformly spaced light elements for propagating parallel light beams. The parallel light beams assist in producing a light pattern on a target site. A method of measuring a dimension of a target site includes the steps of projecting uniformly spaced parallel light beams to form a light pattern having uniformly spaced elements on the target site, aligning the light pattern such that a maximum number of the uniformly spaced elements is positioned along the dimension and counting the maximum number of the uniformly spaced elements positioned along the dimension.