Common eye disease can cause hallucinations, but few people know it
Seeing people, flowers or patterns that aren't really there can be frightening. But for people with serious vision loss, these visions are often a known and harmless side effect, experts say.
Hallucinations caused by serious vision loss may be a familiar, harmless side effect for some individuals, experts assert. Known as Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS), this condition triggers vivid visual hallucinations in people who have experienced significant sight loss. Many individuals hesitate to discuss their experiences due to concerns about developing dementia or a mental health issue, as per The Washington Post.
Research indicates that CBS impacts approximately one in six individuals with retinal disease or major vision impairment, with older adults being the most affected. The syndrome is most commonly observed alongside age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disorder that damages the macula, the part of the eye responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision.
Roughly 11 million people in the United States are affected by AMD, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute. The likelihood of developing CBS increases with age, particularly after the age of 55. A case in point is Varda Yoran, a 97-year-old sculptor in Brooklyn, New York, who is legally blind. She once observed a phantom street scene while waiting in a hospital wheelchair, later discovering that her hallucinations were a symptom of CBS.
CBS is often overlooked by both patients and healthcare providers, as awareness of the condition remains limited, even among medical professionals. Dr. Surendar Purohit, a retina specialist, has noted that many of his patients have described seeing people, patterns, and geometric shapes, with family members frequently being the first to notice changes in their loved ones.
The underlying brain mechanism behind CBS involves increased activity in the visual cortex when the brain receives reduced visual input, according to Dr. Dominic ffytche, a visual psychiatry professor at King's College London. While the exact reasons why some people with vision loss develop hallucinations and others do not remain unclear, it is essential for older adults to openly discuss their symptoms with healthcare providers to alleviate anxiety and prevent misinterpretation of their experiences.
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