Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Seeing things (self.Blind)
submitted by AdaptiVision
Known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome, images or visual hallucinations commonly occur in patients with severe vision loss. It is the brain's way of compensating for deteriorating eyesight. In this article, Leslie Degner of $1 discusses ways of coping with the syndrome, such as discussing it openly with loved ones, and practical tips for eliminating hallucinations when they occur.
Fridux 3 points 2y ago
I may have this, but in my case it's totally different from what everyone else describes. Instead of seeing things that I can tell for sure aren't real I see what I unconsciously believe to be the world around me, as if I was dreaming awake. It's so accurate in familiar places that in the beginning I thought that I was developing some kind of spectral sight and had a psychotic break because of it.
I've been completely blind due to glaucoma for 6 years, and haven't been able to perceive light for the last 2 as I stopped putting in eyedrops when I lost the ability to read thus losing all my residual vision, however my daily life is full of images that my brain simply makes up and associates with everything.
Before going blind I never imagined that the brain could do this. There's really a lot of stuff we don't control in our own bodies.
I've been completely blind due to glaucoma for 6 years, and haven't been able to perceive light for the last 2 as I stopped putting in eyedrops when I lost the ability to read thus losing all my residual vision, however my daily life is full of images that my brain simply makes up and associates with everything.
Before going blind I never imagined that the brain could do this. There's really a lot of stuff we don't control in our own bodies.
rp-turtle 2 points 2y ago
My brain does the exact same thing! I have a little bit of light perception that can be useful depending on the context but my brain creates its own visual reality around me. I thought that’s how it works for everyone. I like it. As a result, I often forget I’m blind though. I get snapped out of it when when my real environment and the visual one my brain has created don’t line up. For example, while in the kitchen, I have a visual sense of the space around me that’s made up by my brain and I’ll unconsciously buy into it. However, in that visual representation created by my brain, the dishwasher is closed but it’s open in reality so I run into it.
As you mentioned, my brain represents everything visually on it’s own so I can describe what something around me looks like to me. However, it’s probably totally inaccurate.
I think dreaming but awake is the perfect way to describe it because it’s not exactly the visceral sighted experience of using normal vision. It’s kinda soft and fuzzy like a image in a dream. It only gets more vivid if you pay attention to it.
As you mentioned, my brain represents everything visually on it’s own so I can describe what something around me looks like to me. However, it’s probably totally inaccurate.
I think dreaming but awake is the perfect way to describe it because it’s not exactly the visceral sighted experience of using normal vision. It’s kinda soft and fuzzy like a image in a dream. It only gets more vivid if you pay attention to it.
AdaptiVision [OP] 2 points 2y ago
It's a fascinating glimpse into how the brain adapts to vision loss. Thanks for sharing from your experience.
AdaptiVision [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Agreed. Thanks for sharing about this openly. Seems like a phenomenon that could be quite isolating, but one that is more common than some might realize. In your experience, are the images now comforting? Or do you wish you could switch them "off" from time-to-time?
Fridux 1 points 2y ago
I like the images; living in complete darkness would be unbearable for me I think. The only problem is that I still have to constantly remind myself that this is not real vision.
AdaptiVision [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Ah, makes sense.
Amonwilde 1 points 2y ago
Can you provide a link to the article? Sorry if I'm missing it.
AdaptiVision [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Whoops sorry about that! Here is the link: $1
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