Visual release hallucinations

[9] Underreporting is thought to be a result of those with the condition being afraid to discuss the symptoms out of fear that they will be labeled of unsound mind.

[10] Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of Charles Bonnet syndrome patients displays a relationship between visual hallucinations and activity in the ventral occipital lobe.

[6] Patients with CBS alongside macular degeneration exhibit hyperactivity in the color areas of the visual association cortex (as shown in fMRIs).

[10] By using the DBM, researchers show that when sensory input is absent, neuron excitability is influenced, thus potentially triggering complex hallucinations.

[13] A variety of disciplines including optometry, ophthalmology, geriatric medicine, psychiatry, and neurology play a part in securing the diagnosis of CBS.

[4] If a patient presents symptoms indicative of Charles Bonnet syndrome, basic laboratory examinations like metabolic panel and blood count tests, as well as neuroimaging, may aid in an accurate diagnosis.

[6] For those experiencing CBS, knowing that they have this syndrome and not a mental illness seems to be the most comforting treatment so far, as it improves their ability to cope with the hallucinations.

Due to inconsistent results and associated medication side effects, non-pharmacologic management such as reassurance is currently preferred.

[15][16] Those experiencing severe symptoms can also utilize behavior techniques such as repeated blinking during hallucinations, rapid eye movement from one object to another and bright lighting to engage the visual neural pathways.

[10] Complex hallucinations may progress over time if the primary loss of vision is due to damage of the early cortical areas.

[7] After Bonnet's grandfather received bilateral cataract surgery, his vision evolved from slightly better to complete deterioration over time.

[6] His hallucinations consisted of perceptions of men, women, birds, carriages, buildings, tapestries, physically impossible circumstances and scaffolding patterns.

[6] At forty years old, Charles Bonnet himself developed an unrevealed cause of severe vision loss and experienced the hallucinations.

[6] In 1936, Jean Lhermitte and Julian de Ajuriaguerra, concluded that visual hallucinations consist of thalamic lesions as well as ocular pathology.