The present invention relates to a slit lamp unit (1) for a surgical microscope, the slit lamp unit (1) comprising a slit illumination unit (2) having a slit illumination optic for generating a slit illumination beam path (5, 6), and a guide rail (3) for displacement of the slit illumination unit (2) along a direction designated by the guide rail (3), the guide rail being embodied for displacement of the slit illumination unit (2) along a linear direction (12), and the slit illumination unit (2) being mounted on the guide rail (3) rotatably around a rotation axis (13) perpendicular to said linear displacement direction (12).
