Charles Bonnet syndrome is a condition that usually occurs in people who lose sight in whole or in part and is characterized by complex visual hallucinations, more common when waking up, and that can last from a few minutes to a few hours, resulting in confused and in some cases has difficulty understanding whether these hallucinations are real or not.
Hallucinations that occur in the elderly and psychologically normal are often related to geometric shapes, people, animals, insects, landscapes, buildings, or repeating patterns, for example, which can be colored or black and white.
- Charles Bonnet syndrome is incurable and it is not yet known why these hallucinations occur in people with vision problems.
- Because it causes hallucinations.
- Many people with these types of changes often seek the help of a psychologist.
- But ideally treat the syndrome with the advice of an ophthalmologist.
Symptoms that may occur in people with the syndrome include hallucinations of geometric shapes, people, animals, insects, landscapes or buildings, for example, that can last from a few minutes to a few hours.
Diagnosis usually involves a physical evaluation and a dialogue with the patient, to describe hallucinations, in some cases an MRI may be performed that, in the case of the person with the syndrome, may exclude other neurological problems that also have hallucinations as a symptom.
There is no cure for this syndrome yet, but treatment can offer a better quality of life. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medications, such as those used to treat epilepsy, such as valproic acid or Parkinson’s disease.
Also, when the person is hallucinating, they should change position, move their eyes, stimulate other senses, such as hearing, through music or audiobooks, and reduce stress and anxiety.