Considered the founder of modern ophthalmology, Bartisch was educated solely by means of apprenticeships in surgery. He developed a substantial practice with an excellent reputation and consequently in 1588, became the court oculist to Duke Augustus I of Saxony. The Ophthalmodouleia is the first ophthalmic textbook in the German language -- rather than Latin or Greek -- the first Renaissance work on eye surgery, and the first to establish a surgical subspecialty. Bartisch made the preliminary drawings for the ninety-one woodcuts, which were then executed by Hans Hewamaul. The work was printed at Bartisch's own expense.

The Trent copy is one of three or four known contemporary handcolored copies of the first edition. Pictured is an illustration of a head cap used in the treatment of crossed eyes.