Louis Émile Javal
French ophthalmologist (1839-1907)
Louis Émile Javal (5 May 1839 – 20 January 1907) was a French ophthalmologist born in Paris. Javal is remembered for his studies of physiological optics and his work involving a disorder known as strabismus.
Early life
He was born in Paris to Léopold Javal (1804-1872) and Auguste Javal (née von Lämel; 1817-1893).
Academic background
Originally trained as a civil engineer, he switched to the medical profession, receiving his degree from the University of Paris in 1868. Following graduation, he traveled to Berlin, where he studied under Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870). During the Franco-Prussian War he served as a medical officer. In 1878 he opened an ophthalmological laboratory at the Sorbonne and was its director until 1900. Politically active like his father, he represented the district of Yonne in the French Parliament from 1884 to 1889.
Contributions in ophthalmology
With his student Hjalmar August Schiøtz (1850-1927), he constructed an early keratometer, also known as the "Javal Schiötz ophthalmometer". This device is used to measure the curvature of the corneal surface of the eye, as well as to determine the extent and axis of astigmatism.
The public source identifies “Louis Émile Javal” as french ophthalmologist (1839-1907). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Louis, Émile and Javal.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Louis Émile Javal”, the useful work is to connect “french ophthalmologist (1839-1907)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 29, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q286028. VIAF identifies the subject as 29535728. The Library of Congress control number is n96075850. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1839, 1907, 1804 and 1872.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Louis Émile Javal”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Louis Émile Javal primary sources, Louis Émile Javal archive and Louis research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Louis Émile Javal”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Louis Émile Javal” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.