From post-war reconstruction to the twenty-first century – ophthalmic pathology in Freiburg 1945–2015: review of 39,256 surgical specimens from various topographical regions collected over 71 years at a large German tertiary eye care centre

Historical events, general population developments and new surgical techniques and treatment options caused changes in the occurrence of various ocular and periocular specimens. Our study data contribute to providing an overall picture of the nature and relative frequency of ocular conditions leading to surgical excision of specimens with subsequent histopathological examination. A continuous sharp increase in case numbers since 1987 clearly exceeds the demographic trend emphasising the ever-growing importance of the sub-speciality of ophthalmic pathology. Ideally, histopathological assessments should be conducted by experienced ophthalmologists with surgical and pathology expertise, or by experienced pathologists with ophthalmology expertise, to ensure optimal patient care.