A degree of detailed introspection is called for, either spiritual or physical. We have the ability to look at things in dreams in much finer detail than we would necessarily do in the waking state. While the mind can be creative, it sometimes also needs to apply scientific and perhaps logical thought to a problem, and the symbol of a microscope can draw attention to this. A microscope in a dream very often indicates that we need to pay attention to detail. Also we may need to be somewhat introspective in order to achieve a personal goal. Also consult the entry for Laboratory.