This text is truly unique among textbooks of ophthalmic pathology. It attempts to bridge the disciplines of ophthalmic surgery, ophthalmic anatomy, and ophthalmic histopathology. The editors are Gottfried O. H. Naumann, Leonard Holbach, and Friedrich E. Kruse. Naumann is a world renowned ophthalmic pathologist known for his comprehensive textbook Pathology of the Eye. In the preface, the editors describe the motivation behind developing this text:
In brief, the goal of the text is to educate ophthalmologists and ophthalmic surgeons on the microanatomy of ocular structures that are vital to performing successful ophthalmic surgery. In Applied Pathology for Ophthalmic Microsurgeons, Naumann and his collaborators have achieved this in remarkable fashion. Discussions of important anatomic features of varying ocular structures important to the ophthalmic surgeon are a critical feature of the book. As would be expected, there is considerable discussion of wound healing for various types of surgical procedures on different ocular tissues.