A variable-angle, wide-angle illuminator is disclosed, one embodiment being a small-gauge, variable-angle illumination surgical system comprising: a light source for providing a light beam an optical cable, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam a handpiece, operably coupled to the optical cable an optical fiber, 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 assembly, optically coupled to a distal end of the optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and providing the light beam to illuminate a surgical field and a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece and optical assembly, for housing and directing the optical assembly to illuminate selected area. The optical assembly can comprise a fiber/polymer-dispersed-liquid-crystal (“PDLC”) diffuser optically coupled to an optical needle or a nested compound parabolic concentrator (“CPC”) cone.
