Ernst Fuchs

Who was Ernst Fuchs?

Ernst Fuchs was an Austrian ophthalmologist, physician and researcher. The importance of Fuchs' life achievement must surely be based on his discovery and description of numerous ocular diseases and abnormalities. As a result of more than 250 scientific publications, the name Ernst Fuchs became well known throughout the world. Although his name is commonly recognized in conjunction with various corneal and anterior segment disorders, Ernst Fuchs' contribution to ophthalmology exceeds purely the delineation of ocular diseases and the detailed description of signs. Fuchs' collection of microscopic samples laid the foundation for anatomical and pathological understanding of blood vessels, muscles, and most other tissues of the eye. Additionally, Fuchs was able to pass on his unique knowledge, educating ophthalmologists at an international level. His Textbook of Ophthalmology was, for many decades, the most extensively used reference book in the field of ophthalmology worldwide.

Fuchs' Textbook of Ophthalmology was first published in 1889. During the following 21 years, he edited 12 of the 18 German editions of the textbook himself.