Seeing when you're blindSeeing when you're blind
All In The Mind
Charles Bonnet Syndrome is sometimes called the ‘plaything of the brain’ for the blind and visually impaired. The syndrome isn’t associated with mental illness or dementia, yet people with it are able to ‘see’ things — like little wriggling children in pink and white pyjamas, or a goat riding on a bike through their lounge room.
29:06•2 Aug 2020
Seeing When You're Blind: Living With Charles Bonnet Syndrome
Episode Overview
- Charles Bonnet Syndrome involves vivid, purely visual hallucinations in people with significant acquired vision loss who are otherwise mentally sound.
- Early explanation and reassurance that the condition does not indicate dementia or psychiatric illness can greatly reduce fear and distress.
- Enhancing environmental stimulation, social contact and physical activity may lessen the frequency or intensity of hallucinations.
- Some people find that purposeful eye movements or temporarily closing their eyes can shorten or interrupt episodes.
- Improving underlying vision problems, such as treating cataracts, can sometimes lead to a reduction or disappearance of Charles Bonnet hallucinations.
“"There's nothing wrong with your brain. There's nothing wrong with your mind. You have Charles Bonnet Syndrome."”
In this eye-opening episode, you'll learn about a condition that makes people who are blind "see" vivid scenes that aren’t actually there. All In The Mind turns its attention to Charles Bonnet Syndrome, sometimes called the "plaything of the brain", and you'll hear directly from older Australians who live with it every day.
Mary Lovett, Anne Gabrielle Thompson and Ross Brown share striking, often beautiful visual experiences: "lots of little children in pink and white striped pyjamas", timber stacks by the roadside, train platforms from decades ago, and houses replaced by rubble with kids running over it.
One describes the visions as "like a video unravelling" where "everybody was beautiful"; another treats them "as some form of entertainment" because, as he puts it, "it doesn't hurt me." Yet, there are moments where the images feel overwhelming or unsettling, hinting at how emotionally mixed this syndrome can be. Neurologist Chris Plummer explains what’s currently known about the condition and stresses a key reassurance: "There's nothing wrong with your brain.
There's nothing wrong with your mind." He outlines diagnostic criteria, the difference between hallucinations and delusions, and a leading theory involving spontaneous firing in the visual cortex when normal visual input is lost. You’ll also hear how support groups and simple lifestyle tweaks can help: brighter environments, more social contact, physical activity, and tricks like eye scanning or closing the eyes to shorten episodes.
The conversation touches on why people born blind don’t report Charles Bonnet Syndrome, raising intriguing questions about visual memory and the brain’s "backup library" of images. If you or someone you know is losing sight and noticing strange visual scenes, this episode offers clarity, comfort and a reminder that these experiences can be talked about without fear of being judged. Could understanding these phantom visions change how we think about the mind and what it means to "see"?
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