An optical memory stores data in an optical data layer capable of selecting altering light such as by changeable transmissivity. Data is organized into a plurality of regions or patches (called pages) in which each page contains a field of data spots storing binary data as the presence or absence of a hole. The data is illuminated by controllable light sources and an array of single element diffractive imaging lenslets, one for each data page, projects the image onto a common array of light sensors. By selective illumination of each data page, one of the single element lenslets images the selected data page of holes onto the light sensors. By selecting a hole size and using a certain range of restricted acceptance angle grooves on the diffractive elements, the data image is optimized for a single diffractive element lens.