Visual Hallucinations: Identifying Charles Bonnet Syndrome - Special Issue

Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a rare condition comprised of visual hallucinations, which occur in the context of damage anywhere along the visual pathway and absence of hallucinations affecting other sensory modalities. Patients with CBS maintain partial or full insight that the hallucinations are not real, have no psychological conditions, and maintain intellectual functioning. CBS has been well documented in the neurologic, geriatric medicine, and psychiatric literature, but there is a lack of information in the optometric/ophthalmologic literature. Therefore, increased awareness of the signs and symptoms associated with CBS is required among eye care professionals. To better understand why visual hallucinations occur, the neurobiology underlying visual hallucinations will be discussed. This article will also explain etiologies of visual hallucinations, the pathophysiology of CBS, as well as effective management strategies.