Eye-related visual hallucinations: consider 'Charles Bonnet syndrome'

Indian J Ophthalmol. 2011 May-Jun;59(3):229-30. doi: 10.4103/0301-4738.81038.

Abstract

The Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is typically characterized by visual hallucinations in elderly people without cognitive defects. This article presents the case of an 80-year-old male patient with a one-year history of visual hallucinations, secondary to glaucoma, in both eyes. Neither a dopamine agonist nor cholinesterase inhibitor therapy improved his symptoms. In this case, the hallucinations were gradually improved after administration of a GABAergic drug, pregabalin, for diabetic polyneuropathy. Placebo-controlled clinical trials would be needed to support this effect of pregabalin, as suggested by this association.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / complications
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / drug therapy
  • Glaucoma / complications*
  • Hallucinations / diagnosis*
  • Hallucinations / drug therapy
  • Hallucinations / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pregabalin
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Syndrome
  • Vision Disorders / etiology
  • Vision Disorders / physiopathology
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Pregabalin
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid