Allvar Gullstrand

Gullstrand, Allvar

(äl`vär gŭl`stränd), 1862–1930, Swedish ophthalmologist. He was professor (1894–1927) successively of eye therapy and of optics at the Univ. of Uppsala. He applied the methods of physical mathematics to the study of optical images and of the refraction of light in the eye. For this work he received the 1911 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is noted also for his research on astigmatism and for improving the ophthalmoscope and corrective lenses for use after removal of a cataract from the eye.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Gullstrand, Allvar

Born June 5, 1862, in Landskruna; died July 28, 1930, in Stockholm. Swedish ophthalmologist.

Gullstrand received his medical training at the universities in Uppsala, Vienna, and Stockholm, earning his M.D. degree in 1888. From 1891 he lectured on ophthalmology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. From 1894 to 1927 he was professor of ophthalmology at the University of Uppsala.

Gullstrand’s main works are devoted to geometric optics and dioptrics, including astigmatism and accommodation. He introduced the concept of dioptry and also conducted research on differential diagnostics of eye diseases. He invented a number of ophthalmological devices, including an improved slit lamp and a binocular direct ophthalmoscope.

Gullstrand was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1911.

WORKS

Allgemeine Theorie der monochromatischen Aberrationen und ihre nächsten Ergebnisse für die Ophthalmologie. Uppsala, 1900.
Einführung in die Methoden der Dioptrik des Auges des Menschen. Leipzig, 1911.

REFERENCE

Tron, E. Zh. “Issledovaniia Gullstranda i ikh znachenie dlia oftal’mologii.” Arkhiv oftal’mologii. 1930, vol. 7.