The Prevalence and Characteristics of Charles Bonnet Syndrome in Turkish Patients with Retinal Disease

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) in a group of Turkish patients with various retinal diseases. Methods: Two hundred and sixty-four patients with a best-corrected visual acuity of ≤20/40 in the better-seeing eye were asked with a standardized question whether they had symptoms of CBS. If they responded positively, a questionnaire was verbally administered to learn more about the details of the symptoms. Results: There were 125 (47.3%) females and 139 (52.7%) males with a mean age of 72.1 years (range 31-90). Seventeen (6.4%) patients were diagnosed with CBS. Three (17.7%) patients had noncomplex hallucinations and 14 (82.3%) had complex hallucinations. Conclusion: CBS is not uncommon in visually impaired patients with retinal disease. Clinicians who care for visually impaired patients should be aware of CBS.

Prevalence of Charles Bonnet syndrome in patients with age‐related macular degeneration: systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Nalcaci et al. () investigated prevalence of CBS in Turkish patients with various retinal diseases and found that CBS was present in 6.4% of patients with AMD. Agron et al.…”

“…Tan et al (2004) were not able to find any cases of CBS in a small sample of 50 patients with AMD. Nalcaci et al (2016) investigated prevalence of CBS in Turkish patients with various retinal diseases and found that CBS was present in 6.4% of patients with AMD. Agron et al (2016) asked participants of CBS in the close-out of the AREDS2 study and found three times higher prevalence of CBS among those with late AMD (9.6% vs. 3.3%).…”

“…More specifically, CBS is generally defined as the occurrence of recurrent or persistent complex visual hallucinations in individuals with a disease of the visual system and with preserved insight and intellectual function without altered cognition or any psychiatric or neurological diseases (Menon et al 2003). Case studies as well as larger reports have been published to describe CBS and its prevalence in different populations of patients with eye diseases (Billings & Pitt 2008;Gordon 2016;Nixon & Mason 2006;Holroyd et al 1992;Nalcaci et al 2016).…”

Exacerbation of visual hallucinations in Charles Bonnet syndrome due to the social implications of COVID-19

“…4 Any underlying ocular pathology can precipitate CBS, though literature consistently identifies age-related macular degeneration as a risk factor. [5][6][7] The condition is typically associated with older age; however, the pathogenesis of CBS suggests patients of any age may be affected. 6 8 Typical phenomenology includes transient episodes of simple (ie, shapes and patterns) or complex (ie, life-like scenes, animals and people) hallucinations.…”

“…Depending on the study, the reported prevalence ranges from 0.4% to 30% among those with sight loss 4. Any underlying ocular pathology can precipitate CBS, though literature consistently identifies age-related macular degeneration as a risk factor 5–7. The condition is typically associated with older age; however, the pathogenesis of CBS suggests patients of any age may be affected 6 8.…”