A single plane illumination microscope having an illumination optical system for illuminating a sample located on a sample carrier in a medium, and which is parallel to a planar reference surface. The sample is illuminated by a light sheet via an illumination light path. A detection optical system has a detection beam path. The optical axes of the illumination and detection optical systems each define an angle that is not equal to zero degrees along with the normal to the reference surface. A barrier layer system includes at least one layer of a given material having a given thickness and separates the medium from the illumination and detection optical systems. A base area of the barrier layer system is in contact with the region that is accessible for illumination and detection activities, said base area running parallel to the reference surface. At least one corrective element in the illumination beam path and/or the detection beam path allows those aberrations to be reduced which are created when light to be detected or light for illuminating the sample penetrates interfaces of the barrier layer system at an angle. The microscope has means, which are independent of the generation of the light sheet, for applying, via at least one manipulation beam path, light intensity to the sample in substantially point-shaped regions of the light sheet plane or in a given volume that at least temporarily encompasses the light sheet plane.