born May 22, 1828, Berlin, Prussia
died July 20, 1870, Berlin
German ophthalmologist.
Using Hermann von Helmholtz 's ophthalmoscope, he developed several operations for eye disorders, including iridectomy (removal of part of the iris) for glaucoma and lens extraction for cataract. He traced blindness and visual defects in some cerebral disorders to optic-nerve inflammation. Gräfe sign (diagnostic for Graves disease) is failure of the upper eyelid to follow the eyeball when looking downward. His writings include a Manual of Comprehensive Ophthalmology (7 vol., 1874–80). He is considered the founder of modern ophthalmology.