5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is characterized by visual hallucinations in visually impaired patients without psychiatric illness.

• 2

  CBS may affect up to one in five patients in low vision services, with risk increasing alongside severity of vision loss.

• 3

  Patients often do not disclose hallucinations due to fear of being labeled mentally unwell, necessitating direct inquiry.

• 4

  Education about CBS significantly reduces distress, with around 70% of patients reporting minimal distress after reassurance.

• 5

  Ophthalmology teams can enhance patient support by integrating a stigma-reducing CBS pathway into routine consultations.