Ophthalmologist Albrecht von Graefe (1828 – 1870) and the Well-Known Persons He Treated

Introduction

Professor Albrecht von Graefe (Berlin 1828 – Berlin 1870) was a famous German ophthalmologist who lived and worked in Berlin. He was founder of modern and scientific ophthalmology. Von Graefe was a versatile person, but he is mostly remembered for making the first iridectomy for the treatment of glaucoma [1]. He invented a knife for cataract surgery that has been used for a hundred years, and he was the first to use the Helmholtz ophthalmoscope, established the worldʼs first ophthalmological society and the second ophthalmology journal, which has been published continuously up to now. He was also interested in ophthalmic pathology. In 1852, he founded a widely known private eye clinic in Berlin, where he educated many eminent ophthalmologists and treated many eye patients. Although Albrecht von Graefe died more than 150 years ago, he still provokes great admiration and respect in the world of ophthalmology. How important von Graefe is in ophthalmology and medicine can be seen in the numerous memorials and his great legacy ([Fig. 1]) [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. He also occasionally practiced ophthalmology and performed eye surgeries outside of Berlin, especially in Würzburg (1855 – 1861) and Heiden (1859 – 1869) [7], [8], [9].

Publication History

Received: 03 May 2023

Accepted: 03 October 2023

Article published online:
29 November 2023

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