A scanning apparatus comprises a laser source adapted to emit a beam along an axis and illuminate a target, a detector adapted to receive light of varying intensities scattered from the target and convert the light into a signal, and a controller operatively associated with the detector for receiving the signal from the detector and decoding the signal. A focusing apparatus comprising a deformable lens element in optical communication with the laser source has a deformable surface, at least part of which transmits the beam. The deformable lens element defines an index of refraction difference with an index of refraction of an adjacently disposed substance. In one embodiment the index of refraction difference is greater than 0.30.