Mogens Norn

Biographical Timeline

• Born February 25, 1925 in Aarhus
• 1950s – Early ophthalmology training in Kolding, then further training in the Copenhagen system.
• 1958 – Specialist recognition in ophthalmology.
• 1960 – Awarded the DrMed thesis on cytology of conjunctival (tear) fluid, a theme he expanded into wider work on the clinical relevance of ocular surface staining methods.
• 1957–1971 – Clinical professor, University of Copenhagen.
• 1961–1963 – President, Danish Ophthalmological Society.
• 1971–1975 – Full professor.
• 1973 – Publishes lissamine green vital staining of cornea and conjunctiva, helping establish a better-tolerated alternative to rose bengal for ocular-surface staining.
• 1974 – Published External eye: Methods of examination.
• 1975–1988 – Appointed editor-in-chief, Acta Ophthalmologica.
• 1978 – Eye Department moved from Kommunehospitalet (Farimagsgade) to Hvidovre; Norn succeeded Poul Brændstrup in the professorship.
• 1975–1997 – Extensive Greenland involvement with board roles and 17 consultant trips.
• 1986 – Appointed Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
• 1989 – Consultant, medical history museum (Museion), University of Copenhagen
• 1992-1997 – Publishes multiple historical/ethnographic works (Greenland ophthalmology history; glaucoma history in Denmark; Eskimo snow goggles; colour culture history)
• 2018 – Final major editorial engagement around the reference work “Øjenfagets Udvikling”; contributed a chapter reflecting on the patient experience in relation to his own retinal detachment.
• Died January 28, 2023 in Virum

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Key Medical Contributions

Vital-stain contribution

1973 – Lissamine green (vital staining of cornea and conjunctiva). Norn’s Acta Ophthalmologica paper positioned lissamine green as a practical ocular-surface vital dye. Clinically similar in what it highlights on conjunctiva/cornea, but generally better tolerated than rose bengal, shifting everyday surface staining beyond fluorescein alone.

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Major Publications

• Norn MS. Cytology of the Conjunctival Fluid. 1960
• Norn MS. Lissamine green. Vital staining of cornea and conjunctiva. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh). 1973;51(4):483-91.
• Norn MS. External eye: Methods of examination. 1974
• Norn M. Acta ophthalmologica 1923-1988. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh). 1988 Apr;66(2):129-33.
• Norn M. Eskimo Snow Goggles in Danish and Greenlandic Museums, Their Protective and Optical Properties. 1996
• Norn MS, Permin H. Jeg mener jeg ser [I think I that I see]. Ugeskr Laeger. 2002 Dec 16;164(51):6074-7.
• Norn MS. Medicinsk Museion: vor kulturarv er i fare! [Medical Museion: our cultural heritage is endangered!]. Ugeskr Laeger. 2006 Jan 16;168(3):301. 
• Norn M. Stix test for bacterial conjunctivitis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep;86(6):692
• Ehlers N, Norn M. History of Acta Ophthalmologica – the first 50 years. Acta Ophthalmol. 2012 Feb;90(1):3-9.
• Norn M. Acta Ophthalmologica: History 1970-88. Acta Ophthalmol. 2014 Aug;92(5):488-91. 
• Norn M. Danish Ophthalmology – from start to 1865. Acta Ophthalmol. 2016 Mar;94(2):205-9.

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References

Biography

• Grzybowski A, Pawlikowska-Łagód K. 100th anniversary of Acta Ophthalmologica. Acta Ophthalmol. 2024 Feb;102(1):8-14. 
• Mogens Stig Norn. ugeskriftet