A recent study found that visual hallucinations are fairly common in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a condition that occurs when people lose some or all of their vision. The person has visual hallucinations of things that aren't really there. These hallucinations can last anywhere from a few seconds to hours. CBS differs from other causes of hallucinations in that the person experiencing them realizes that what they are experiencing is a hallucination.
Hallucinations caused by vision loss do not stem from neurological issues. They are caused when the brain seeks new images to process and due to the vision loss, the brain has to resort to making up images or some times recalling images from memory.
CBS induced hallucinations may be simple lines or shapes, flashes of light or even images of faces or people and animals. The hallucinations can occur day or night and can appear to be moving or still. People with central vision loss are most commonly affected by CBS.
While there is no cure or even a treatment for CBS, there are ways to help the person deal with them when they do occur. Be sure to share with your ophthalmologist what you are experiencing. Document when the hallucinations happen and change your environment accordingly. If they seem to happen in a dark room, try adding some light. When the hallucination occurs, try blinking frequently or moving your eyes from side-to-side quickly while not moving your head.
