170th anniversary of Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology

The year 2024 marks the 170th anniversary of the journal Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. The journal is the first printed journal specializing in ophthalmology, founded by Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870) in 1854. The reason behind creating the journal was to publish useful clinical information and develop discussion and debate among ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Thanks to its diligence and appropriate selection of published content, the journal has become widely read not only among the German scientific community, but also internationally. The aim of this review article is to present the activities of Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology during the past 170 years. KEY MESSAGES : What is known Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology is the oldest worldwide ophthalmology journal that in 2024 celebrates its 170th anniversary. The journal was founded by Albrecht von Graefe, and after his death continued by other giants in ophthalmology, including Ferdinand von Arlt and Franciscus Cornelius Donders. WHAT IS NEW : There were mostly male editors-in-chief, with Antonia Joussen as the first female editor-in-chief in the long journal's history. This article presents for the first time the complete list of all editors-in-chief in the 170 year long history of the journal.