[The surgical microscope and its use in neurological surgery.]

This is a short history of glasses, telescopes and microscopes and how the surgical microscope developed from these optical instruments and became one of the most necessary and most widely used surgical instruments in the world for the past 30 years. It has been of great importance to modern surgery, especially ear, nose and throat surgery, eye surgery and last but not least neurological surgery. The role of the surgical microscope in Iceland, and especially in neurological surgery, is discussed.