Jules Gonin

Jules Gonin (10 August 1870 – May 1935) was a professor of ophthalmology in Lausanne who pioneered the procedure of ignipuncture, the first successful surgery for the treatment of retinal detachments.

He developed interest in Ophthalmology and was offered training by Dr. Marc Dufour, then director of the Eye Hospital in Lausanne in 1896.

[4] Gonin was nearly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his innovations in retinal detachment surgery and according to some[5] should have received it.

[6] A questionnaire on Gonin's research was sent to ophthalmic authorities around the world, among which all replied favourably, with one only exception.

This is believed to have come from an envious countryman, who persuaded the committee to postpone the award for one year.