About 20 of the collection's objects mark the ophthalmological timeline from 1800 to the present day, juxtaposed with some key dates in the history of ophthalmology.

The Foundation of the Home for the Blind is set up in Lausanne

Von Helmoltz discovers the ophthalmoscope

Von Graefe revolutionises the treatment of closed-angle glaucoma by iridectomy

Zirm performs the first successful corneal graft

Gullstrand invents the slit lamp

Barraquer introduces the intraocular extraction of the lens

Meyer Schwickerat perfects photocoagulation therapy

Ridley performs the first implantation of an artificial lens in the eye of one of his female patients operated for cataract.

Invention of fluorescent angiography to examine intraocular pressure

Application of ruby and argon lasers in ophthalmology

Machemer perfects vitrectomy

Modern cataract surgery with extracapsular lens extraction and routine insertion of artificial lenses Beginning of lens phacoemulsification