An optical display system configured to transmit light along a light path to a user's eye, the display system comprising a circular polarizing reflector configured to reflect light with a first polarization from an image source, a quarter wave plate downstream of the circular polarizing reflector in the light path and configured to rotate the polarization of the light to a second polarization, and a curved linear polarizing reflector downstream of the quarter wave plate and configured to reflect the light back through the quarter wave plate along the light path in the direction of the circular polarizing reflector. The quarter wave plate further configured to rotate the polarization of the light received from the curved linear polarizing reflector to a third polarization and the circular polarizing reflector further configured to receive said light from the quarter wave plate and transmit the light toward the user's eye.