Wilhelm August Gottlieb Manniske, MD (1769-1835): microscope use during removal of buried corneal body in 1792.

In 1792, a priest in Germany consulted a young doctor about a buried corneal foreign body hidden in a small, hard mass that partly covered the pupil. During removal of the foreign body, the doctor inspected the corneal incision with a microscope to confirm the suspected presence of the foreign body. This may be the first use of a microscope in eye surgery.