Egill Hansen

Egill Hansen grew up together with two younger brothers in Rakkestad in south-eastern Norway, the son of Karl Fredrik Hansen, a butcher, and Agnes Helene Tjernnes. He graduated from the gymnasium Østfold Høgere Almenskole, Mysen, in 1948 as a private pupil. He studied medicine at the University of Oslo, graduating in 1954.

After serving his internship at various hospitals, he became an eye specialist in 1964 and in 1966 he became assistant chief physician in the policlinic, department of ophthalmology at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. From 1966 he was in charge of the archives of the blind, and from 1967 to 1981 a consultant and attending physician to Huseby utdanningssenter for synshemmede, an educational institution for people with impaired vision. In 1979 he obtained his medical doctorate with a thesis on " Selective chromatic adaptation studies . ." In this work Hansen describes a new method for investigating receptor functions in eye diseases.

In 1980 he won the Prize for hygiene from the Norwegian Medical Association for a work on the causes of blindness in Norway, based on the archives of the blind. Due to lack pf public funding this extremely valuable archive was closed in 1995. At the time, however, statistics had been produced and distributed in both Norwegian and English.

From 1968 to 1975 Hansen participated in a committee organised by the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness to study visual defects in children. In 1971 he was a founding member of the International Research Group on Colour Vision Deficiencies, and in 1974 of the Perimetric Society 1974. From 1975 a member of a working party in the IRGCVD for the standardisation of colour tests, procedures, and terms. He was the Chairman for colour perimetry group in Perimetric Society 1976-82. Besides this he has participated in a number of committees concerning blindness, rehabilitation and visual demands in various professions.

He was a member of the committee for arranging an international congress on Stengel's disease (Stengel-Batten-Mayou-Spielmeyer-Vogt-Stock disease) in the mining community of Røros.
Hansen has headed a course on visual perception and eye diseases in inborn errors of metabolism.
With Niels Backen and Pål Bjerke he has established an electro-physiological unit at the National Hospital (Rikshospitalet). At this hospital he also founded a medical-historical museum for ophtalmological equipment used at the Rikshospitalet, and was a member of a planning committee for a medical museum. However, Norway still has no such museum.

In 1960 Egill Hansen married Lizzie Irene Knarberg (born in Copenhagen 1929). They have two children.

Hansen has authored or co-authored some 80 articles on ophthalmological topics. The majority of them concern receptor functions in the eye, colour vision, perimetry and diseases related to blindness.

• Factors causing uncertainty when conducting colour discrimination tests.
  Anales del Instituto Barraquer, Barcelona, 1963, 4: 250-292.
• Conjunctivale avleiringer ved bruk av adrenalin øyedråper.
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, Oslo, 1964, 84: 678-679.
• Cataractekstraksjon med chymotrypsin.
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, Oslo, 86: 785-788, 1966.
• Congenital general fibrosis of the extraocular muscles.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1968, 46: 469-476.
• Pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule. I. Clinical evaluation with special regard to the presence of glaucoma.
  With Ole Jakob Sellevold (1924-).
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1968, 46: 1095-1104.
• Pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule. II. Development of the exfoliation syndrome. With Ole Jakob Sellevold.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1969, 47: 161-173.
• Pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule. III. Ocular tension in eyes with pseudoexfoliation. With Ole Jakob Sellevold.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1970, 48: 446-454.
• Vurdering av synshandicapet i undervisningen.
  In A. Monrad-Frantzen: Det svagtseende barn: 43-51. Copenhagen, Gyldendal, 1970.
• Pseudoexfoliation of lens capsule: ocular tension in eyes with pseudoexfoliation.
  With Ole Jakob Sellevold.
  Ophthalmology Digest, 1972, 33: 21.
• Colour vision defect after cranial trauma. Acquired Colour Vision Deficiencies.
  International Symposium, Ghent 1971.
  Modern Problems in Ophthalmology, 1972, 11: 160-164.
• Ny utgave av Bostrøm-Kugelbergs farvesansprøve.
  Norsk oftalmologisk forening 1972. Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 1973, 93: 394.
• The photoreceptors in cone dystrophies.
  Modern Problems in Ophthalmology, 1974, 13: 318-327.
• The colour receptors studied by increment threshold measurements during chromatic adaptation in the Goldmann perimeter.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1974, 52: 490-500.
• Chromatic adaptation in the Goldmann perimeter. Evaluation of congenital colour vision defects.
  Physica Norvegia, 1974, 7: 207-210.
• Electro-oculography in albinos.
  With D. K. Gahlot. Acta pphthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1974, 52: 220-224.
• Cogan syndrome. With Gisle Djupesland (1926-), et al.
  Archives of Otolaryngology, Chicago, 1974, 99: 218-226.
• Visual field studies in cone dystrophies.
  Premier Symp. Int. sur le Champ Visuel. Marseille 1974.
  L'Année thérapeutique et clinique en ophtalmologie, 1975, 25: 313-322.
• Chloroquine retinopathy evaluated with colour perimetry.
  Premier Symp. Int. sur le Champ Visuel. Marseille 1974.
  L'Année thérapeutique et clinique en ophtalmologie, 1975, 25: 323-331.
• Static perimetry during chromatic adaptation. The method applied for investigation of amblyopia.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, suppl. 125, Lund, 21-22, 1975.
• Causes of severe visual impairment in children and their prevention.
  With J. Shappert-Kimmijser, et al. Documenta ophtalmologica, Dordrecht, 1975, 39, Issue II: 213-364.
• Causes of severe visual impairment in children and their prevention. Recent investigations. Norway.
  Documenta ophtalmologica, Dordrecht, 1975, 39, Issue II: 263-270.
• Sosialmedisinsk undersøkelse av blinde i Hedmark.
  With L. Angell and Langsether.
  Institutt for anvendt sosialvitenskapelig forskning (INAS). Arbeidsrapport nr. 20, pp 103, 1975.
• A familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease, endocrine dysfunction and hearing defect. 1. Ophtalmological findings.
  With Ingegerd Frøyshov Larsen and Kåre Berg.
  Acta Ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1976, 54: 129-144.
• The value of tissue paper contrast tests. Colour Vision Deficiencies III. International Symposium, Amsterdam 1975.
  Modern Problems in Ophthalmology, 1976, 17: 179-194.
• Examination of colour vision by use of induced contrast colours. Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1976, 54: 611-622.
• Undersøkelse av blinde i Hedmark fylke.
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægerforening, Oslo, 1976, 96: 365-368.
• Investigation of retinitis pigmentosa by use of specific quantitative perimetry.
  Documenta Ophtalmologica. Proceedings series, Dr. W. Junk b.v. Publishers, The Hague. 1977.
• A familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease and endocrine dysfunction. Genetic studies.
  With Kåre Berg and Ingegerd Frøyshov-Larsen.
  European Society of Human Genetics. Oslo Sympium: "Clinical Genetics". May 14 – 15 1977. Abstracts, page 13, 1977.
• A familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease and endocrine
  dysfunction. Clinical and metabolic studies.
  With Kåre Berg and Ingegerd Frøyshov-Larsen.
  European Society of Human Genetics. Oslo Sympium: "Clinical Genetics". May 14 – 15 1977. Abstracts, page 35.1977.
• A familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease and endocrine
  dysfunction. Ophthalmological findings.
  With Kåre Berg and Ingegerd Frøyshov-Larsen.
  European Society of Human Genetics. Oslo Sympium: "Clinical Genetics". May 14 – 15 1977.
  Abstracts, page 40.
• Calibration of the Goldmann perimeter and accessories used in specific quantitative perimetry.
  With T. Seim.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1978, 56: 241-251.
• Noen data om Anders Daae og hans farvesansprøve.
  Nordisk Medicinhistorisk Årsbok, W. Kock ed., Stockholm, 1978: 113-121.
• Familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease and endocrine
  dysfunction . II. Clinical and metabolic studies.
  With Ingegerd Frøyshov Larsen and Kåre Berg.
  Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen, 1978, 13: 176-189.
• Familial syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy, degenerative liver disease and endocrine dysfunction. III. Genetic studies.
  With Ingegerd Frøyshov Larsen and Kåre Berg.
  Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen, 1978, 13: 190-200.
• Degenerative liver disease and endocrine dysfunction in patients with progressive cone dystrophy.
  With Ingegerd Frøyshov Larsen and Kåre Berg. The XXXVI Scandinavian Congress of Internal Medicine, Oslo, 1978. Acta Medica Scandinavica, Suppl. 621, Per Anders Teisberg (1940-) and E. Gjone editors. Abstract.
• Transient tritanopia experiment in blue cone monochromacy.
  With T. Seim and B. T. Olsen. Nature, London, 1978, 276: 390-391.
• Familial cerebro-macular degeneration (The Stengel-Batten-Mayou-Spielmeyer-Vogt-Stock disease). Evaluation of the photoreceptors.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1979, 57: 382-384.
• Familial cerebro-macular degeneration (The Stengel-Batten-Mayou-Spielmeyer-Vogt-Stock disease). Evaluation of the phororeceptors. Ophthalmology Digest, 1979. Abstract.
• The colour receptors in amblyopia investigated by specific quantitative perimetry.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1979, 57: 612-622.
• Refsum's disease. Eye manifestations in a patient treated with low phytol low phytanic acid diet.
  With Tor Flage (1936-). Acta Ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1979, 57: 899-9913.
• Selective chromatic adaptation studies with special reference to a method combining Stiles' two-colour threshold technique and static colour perimetry.
  Thesis. Studentsamskipnaden, Oslo. 1979.
• Typical and atypical monochromacy studied by specific quantitative perimetry.
  Acta Ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1979, 57: 211-224.
• The disturbance of colour vision after sunbathing.
  In Colour Vision Deficiencies. V. G. Verriest, ed. Chapter 3, 157-161, 1980. Adam Hilger Ltd., Brisol.
• Blindhet i Norge. Åsaker og muligheter for forebyggelse.
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 1981, 101:187-193.
• Blindhet som medisinsk problem.
  "Tidsskriftkasetten". Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, Oslo, 1981.
• Blindness in Norway: Causes and prophylactic measures.
  International Synopses. Digest/Ophthalmology No. 8, 1981.
• Hereditary dominant optic atrophy.
  Documenta Ophtalmologica. Proceedings series. E.L. Greve & G. Verriest, eds. 26:315-322, 1981.
• Heredopathia atactica polyneuritiformis. Phytanic acid storage disease (Refsum's disease).
  A biochemically well defined disease with a specific dietary treatment.
  With Sigvald Bernhard Refsum (1907-1991). 6th Int. Congress of Neurogenetics and Neuro-ophthalmology, Zürich 1981 page 54. Abstract.
• Heredopathia atactica polyneuritiformis. Phytanic acid storage disease (Refsum's disease).
  Neurogenetics and Neuro-ophthalmology. With Sigvald Bernhard Refsum.
  Huber and David Klein editors. Elsevier/ North-Holland Biomed. Press, 333-339, 1981.
• Retrolental fibroplasi i Norge.
  With Per Haavardsholm Finne (1931-), et al.
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 1981, nr. 3, 101:193-196.
• Øyelegetjenesten. Visus, 2:29-30, 1981.
• The significance of psychophysical and electrophysical methods in the diagnosis of juvenile neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis. 71-86. I Ceroid-lipofuscinosis (Batten's disease). D. Armstrong, N. Koppang and J.A. Rider, eds. Elsevier Biomedical Press, 1982, 71-86.
• Peripheral thresholds and chromatic discrimination in ophthalmological diagnosis.
  Proc. VIth symp. Int. Res. Group on Colour Vision Deficiencies, Berlin 1981. (Invited paper)
  Documenta Ophtalmologica. Proceedings series, 33:357-371, 1982.
• A Practical Guide for Colour Vision Examination. Report of the Standardization Committee of the International Research Group on Colour Vision Deficiencies.
  With J. Birch, et al. City University, London 1983.
• Loss of inhibitory mechanisms as a measure of cone impairment: A method applied in static perimetry.
  With T. Seim. Fifth Int. Visual Field Symp. Sacramento 1982.
  Documenta Ophtalmologica. Proceedings series, 1983, 35: 405-411.
• Automated, fully computerized analysis of the clinical electroretinogram.
  With Niels I. Backen and M. A. Binrong. Acta Ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1984, 62:183-192.
• Disorders of lipid metabolism (Invited paper). Proceedings of the VIIth congress of the European Society of Ophthalmology, Helsinki 1984. pp. 330-335. ISBN, Helsinki 1985.
• A modification of the Goldmann perimeter designed for colour perimetry.
  With B. T. Olsen, T. Seim and D. Wormald. A. Heijl & E.L. Greve, eds. Proc. 6th Int. Visual Field Symp. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, 279-280, 1985.
• Rehabilitation of visually handicapped patients in Norway.
  Proc. 7th Congress of the European Society of Ophthalmology. Helsinki 1984, 602-604, 1985.
• Primary bromocriptine treatment of extrasellar prolactinomas.
  With J. Jervell, et al.
  Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, 1986, Volume 69, Suppl. 3, 43.
• Bromokriptinbehandling av store prolactinomer.
  With Johan Inge Halse (1944-).
  Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 1986, 106: 328-331.
• Causes of blindness in Norway.
  International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, New Delhi, Proceedings 1986.
• Clinical aspects of achromatopsia. Chapter 9, pages 316-334. In Night Vision; R.F. Hess, L.T. Sharp & K. Nordby eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1990.
• Det norske blindekartotek. Målsetting og virksomhet. Helse-data nr. 2 , 1991.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children. I. Nordic registers and prevalence data.
  With Ruth Riise (1934-) et al. Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1992, 70: 145-154.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children. II. Aetiological factors.
  With T. Rosenberg et al. Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1992, 70: 155-164., 1992.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children. III Diagnoses. (Hansen E. et al.)
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1992, 70: 597-604.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children. IV. Sex distribution.
  With Ruth Riise, et al.
  Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1992, 70: 605-609.
• Eldre, synsevne og bilkjøring.
  Norsk tidsskrift for geriatri, Oslo, 1992, 8: 26-27.
• Blindekartoteket.
  Norsk tidsskrift for geriatri, Oslo, 1992, 8: 30.
• Farvekontraster ved normalt og unormalt farvesyn.
  I "Evaluering av kontrastsyn", Universitetet i Trondheim, Tambartun 1992 (abstr.)
• Glimt fra norsk oftalmologi i eldre tider.
  E. Hansen, Martin Davanger (1927-1994) and Hans Holst.
  Poster. Nordisk oftalmologmøte Gøteborg 1993.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children. V. X-linked juvenile retinoschisis.
  With S-L. Rudanko, et al. Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, 1993, 71: 586-589.
• Årsager til synsskader blandt nordiske børn.
  With T. Rosenberg et al.
  Ugeskrift for Læger, 1993, 155: 874-876.
• Genetic heterogeneity among blue-cone monochromats.
  With J. Nathans, et al.
  American Journal of Human Genetics, Chicago, 1993, 53: 987-1000.
• Visual impairment due to retinopathy of prematurity in Nordic children.
  With Ruth Riise, et al. Acta ophthalmologica, Copenhagen, Supplement, 1993, 210: 9-11.
• Long-term treatment of macroprolactinomas with CV 205-502.
  With A. Kvistborg, et al. Acta Endocrinologica 128: 301-307, 1993.
• Fra samlingen av øyelegehistoriske effekter ved Rikshospitalet.
  Symposium om Nasjonalt Medisinhistorisk Museum, 1994, 38-40.
• Epidemiologiske data om diabetes.
  Data om nyanmeldte blinde og svaksynte (abstr.)
  i Diabetes i Norge. Epidemiologiske data. Geir Joner, ed.
  Diabetesforskningskonferansen,
  Bergen 1993. Norges Diabetesforbund, Oslo 1995.
• Visual impairment in Nordic children: Cerebral amblyopia.
  With K. Tornqvist, et al. Acta ophthalmologica, in press (2000).
• Incidence of registered visual impairment in the Nordic child population.
  With T. Rosenberg, et al. British Journal of Ophthalmology, London, 1996, 80: 49-53.