Visual Hallucinations among Older Adults: The Charles Bonnet Syndrome

Nages Nagaratnam, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FRCPA, FACC, Consultant Physician in Geriatric Medicine, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Blacktown-Mt-Druitt Health, Blacktown, NSW, AUS.

A 73-year-old woman was seen in hospital troubled with visual hallucinations for over a year. They had increased in both frequency and intensity in the past few months, necessitating hospitalization. To her annoyance, the visual images took the form of people watching her through the glass windows. She less frequently saw animals. The hallucinations occurred both during the day and night but were worse as evening approached.