Charles Bonnet Syndrome
Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a common condition among people with severe vision loss. It is characterised by temporary visual hallucinations.
CBS is a condition specifically related to vision loss and it should not be mistaken for dementia or any other condition. It is a phenomenon of visually impaired people seeing things that they know are not real. Visual hallucinations or phantom images can be extremely vivid and realistic and range from simple, repetitive patterns to detailed images of people, animals or buildings. About 30% of people who experience major vision loss experience this. The images are a consequence of losing sight whereby the brain attempts to compensate for the gaps in vision.
The signs and symptoms of Charles Bonnet Syndrome include:
Significant vision loss
Visual hallucinations
No control over the hallucinations
A realisation that the hallucinations aren't real.
Following is a Letter sent to the Viewpoint editor by Ted Falvey of Timaru in September 2019, in which Ted talks about his Charles Bonnet Syndrome experience:
“I was very interested in your article on Charles Bonnet Syndrome, and if it related in any way to the Hugh Mearne poem, Antigonish. Antingonish is a small town in Nova Scotia, which, I believe, in Mearns poem had a history of ghostly events. Perhaps these are the reasons for the poem.
I was on holiday in Australia in August 2011, when I noticed a problem with my right eye. Friends told me that it was probably a cataract and that it would need to get worse before it could be removed.“On returning to New Zealand, I contacted my GP who said “You need to see an eye specialist immediately”. Within two days I had received an injection of Avastin in my right eye. I now knew that I had macular degeneration. The injection didn’t cure the problem but it and the succeeding injections stopped it becoming any worse.
“Some months later, I was shampooing my hair in the shower, with my eyes tightly closed, when a little man, neatly dressed, very realistic, and trying to smile, appeared before me. His smile showed only broken and missing teeth. I had to finish washing and rinsing my hair before I could open my eyes, when he disappeared.
“Future shampooing of my hair brought forth similar men, occasionally a woman, all very neat and realistic, but with an eye or an ear missing. A month or two later, I read in a Grey Power magazine of the Charles Bonnet Syndrome. These visions have now stopped.
“Is this because my brain now knows of the syndrome and has corrected it? When my left eye also began to show slight signs of macular degeneration, it too had several injections of Avastin, which has kept it under control. I find that when watching a game of rugby on TV, if a player is converting a try or kicking a penalty. I look at the goal posts or crossbar as they should not show any kinks or irregularities. If they do, see your eye specialist immediately. Many thanks to my team of professionals.”
– Ted Falvey, Timaru
Antigonish is an 1899 poem by American educator and poet William Hughes Mearns. It is also known as "The Little Man Who Wasn't There".
Perhaps this poem is describing the experience of Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn't there! He wasn't there again today, Oh how I wish he'd go away!"
When I came home last night at three, The man was waiting there for me But when I looked around the hall, I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more! Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door...
Last night I saw upon the stair, A little man who wasn't there, He wasn't there again today Oh, how I wish he'd go away...