An apparatus for the microscopic examination of an object has an illumination system which generates a first illumination light beam and a second illumination light beam. A first polarization filter (28) circularly polarizes the first illumination light beam. A second polarization filter (32) linearly polarizes the second illumination light beam. A modulator (34) allows a modulation of the polarized second illumination light beam. An excitation optical system directs the two illumination light beams onto an object. A detection optical system directs detection light beams emanating from the object onto at least two detector units, a first detector unit detecting a first nonlinear Raman effect and a second detector unit detecting a second nonlinear Raman effect.