Journal of psychiatric practice
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Review Case Reports
Charles Bonnet syndrome: are medications necessary?
Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is a clinical entity in which patients develop vivid visual hallucinations in the absence of psychiatric illness. In the great majority of cases, a decline in visual acuity precedes the development of CBS. ⋯ We present the case of a 79-year-old man who presented with the onset of vivid visual hallucinations after developing cataracts. We also review previous case reports of CBS and discuss treatment options.
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Comment Review Case Reports
Commentary on visual hallucinations and Charles Bonnet syndrome.
The authors comment on two case reports of visual hallucinations due to non-psychiatric disorders: retinal detachment in a patient with schizophrenia, and Charles Bonnet syndrome. The physiology of visual misperception is reviewed, based on abnormalities along various points from the eye to the optic tracts to the occipital cortex. The approach to patients with visual hallucinations should include not only an evaluation for psychiatric disorders, but also an appreciation of possible non-psychiatric causes that may have major ramifications for care and potentially for preservation of sight.