Why does my mother experience hallucinations after going blind?
MAY 17, 2013
Question:
My mother is now blind, but ever since she started losing her vision, she has been experiencing hallucinations, which are now lasting up to 36 hours. Is there any treatment for this?
Answer:
This is known to occur and is called Charles Bonnet syndrome. However, neurologic and psychiatric causes need to be ruled out by the appropriate medical sub-specialists because there may be a treatable cause. If it is Charles Bonnet syndrome (visual hallucinations in a poorly sighted patient) it is not treatable but, if your mother is alert, reassurance that this is a known issue and is not associated with other disease will often diminish the severity of the symptoms and the associated anxiety.