Using the present solution, it is possible both to determine optical aberrations and/or the topography and to simultaneously or immediately successively record reference images of an eye. Within the scope of the method, the eye is illuminated with different illumination patterns by means of an illumination unit, and the light reflected by the eye is recorded by a plenoptic camera sensor and evaluated by a control and evaluation unit. According to the invention, the eye is illuminated with different illumination patterns which differ in respect of their intensity distribution and illumination direction, the light reflected by the eye is imaged onto the plenoptic camera sensor and the topography and/or optical aberrations and/or reference images of the illuminated eye are determined from the image data of the plenoptic camera sensor on the basis of the utilized illumination pattern. Even though the solution is especially provided for applications in ophthalmology, it can also be applied in other specialist fields and in industry.