Insect eyes may seem strange, but as small as they are, they see a lot and are multi-faceted in the truest sense of the word. From a technical point of view, a large number of lenses arranged next to each other transmit individual partial areas, which are then combined to form seamless images. René Berlich from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering dealt with micro-optical systems based on this model in his master's thesis. He developed an integrated illumination module for these microscopes, which fit comfortably in a trouser pocket, and even extended the systems in their existing approach: thanks to his work, their resolution has increased and they now make even smaller structures visible. For the first time, they can also be used to examine fluorescence signals.