# Older Dopers with worsening eyesight: do you see things that are not real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 14, 2018, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819 "2018-02-14T10:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/1 "2018-02-14T10:09:48Z")
… because if you do, you might be reassured to know that such hallucinations are very common, benign, and very underreported, as 10-40 % of the elderly with bad eyesight have them. These visions are know as [Bonnet syndrome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_release_hallucinations), and they are fascinating in origin. > [@](#): > > People with significant vision loss may have vivid, complex recurrent visual hallucinations. One characteristic of these hallucinations is that they usually are …smaller or larger than normal. The most common hallucination is of faces or cartoons. > **Sufferers understand that the hallucinations are not rea** , and the hallucinations are only visual, that is, they do not occur in any other senses, e.g. hearing, smell or taste. Among older adults (\> 65 years) with significant vision loss, the prevalence of Charles Bonnet syndrome has been reported to be between 10% and 40%; …The high incidence of non-reporting of this disorder is the greatest hindrance to determining the exact prevalence; **non-reporting is thought to be a result of sufferers being afraid to discuss the symptoms out of fear that they will be labelled insane**. I just read an fascinating article about the historic origin of the syndrome, how medics and philosophers have thought about the origin. Also, Bonnet syndrome is probably the chief cause of people seeing [gnomes](https://www.google.nl/search?q=gnomes&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTvsDMk6XZAhVQLFAKHXBkCowQ_AUICigB), and how cool is that! Visions usually come at dusk, when everything is quiet. People with Bonnet syndrome usually live alone (less distractions) and are usually intelligent and introvert ( i.e. they have an active inner life to begin with). Couple such an active but understimulated visual brain with worsening eyesight, and one hypothesis supposes that the bored brain tells the eye to perceive meaningful patterns in meaningless visual static. I don’t have Bonnet syndrome. But I wanted to share what I learnt about it here on the Dope. If you _do_ have a loved one over 65 with bad eyesight, [bring it up in conversation](http://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health/your-guide-charles-bonnet-syndrome-cbs/charles-bonnet-syndrome). The odds are 1 in 3, that you might be able to put their minds much more at ease with this knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Sveltington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/2 "2018-02-14T13:05:51Z")
I am 66 and have been experiencing some vision phenomena that I can not explain. I am not blind or going blind. I do wear progressives for presbyopia. However when I wake from a nap and look up at the ceiling without my glasses I see things hanging from the ceiling. The ceiling is off white and the “things” are usually always a dark orange and look like long tendrils with a blob end. They look to be hanging very low as if they would touch my head if I stood up. Additionally sometimes I just see a clear membrane as if there was a layer of clear gelatin between me and the ceiling. Anyway sorry for TMI and thank you for your post. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/3 "2018-02-14T14:20:17Z")
No TMI at all, **Sveltington** , on the contrary, thanks for volunteering your experience. Those do sound like Bonnet images. especially the fact that you have them when you look at a very unstimulating image (the white ceiling) People with Bonnet-images can mostly make then disappear by closing their eyes or blinking. That suggests that the mechanics of the eye (like the pressure in the eyeball) have something to do with it as well. In that sense Bonnet images could be variations on the well known “[eye floaters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floater)” but enhanced by the brain into a more elaborate image. It will be reassuring to know that Bonnet images last, in most cases, less then a year, ( although rare cases have lasted five years) and then they just stop on their own accord . Some people even miss them. ---
**Author:** ![Sveltington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/4 "2018-02-14T14:25:21Z")
Thank you. I must admit I was more than reluctant to mention this to any doctor. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/5 "2018-02-14T21:04:09Z")
Not sure whether what I see qualifies as bonnet syndrome. I’m 72, and what I occasionally see is what I call “fireflies”. I see points of light that travel across my field of vision in complex trails. They never go in a straight line or gentle curve, but always travel in complex curves, from a simple sine wave to something looping. At times they look like little glowing sperm. I’ve mentioned this to several doctors, including ophthalmologists, and no one’s ever heard of the phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Sveltington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/6 "2018-02-14T21:51:16Z")
Sounds to me like a silent migraine ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/7 "2018-02-14T22:59:40Z")
Years ago, I paid good money to acquire hallucinations, so they don’t scare me. I haven’t had any for a long time, or at least I think so. Sometimes, though, I see things on the news that can’t possibly be true. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/8 "2018-02-15T10:59:39Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Not sure whether what I see qualifies as bonnet syndrome. > > I’m 72, and what I occasionally see is what I call “fireflies”. I see points of light that travel across my field of vision in complex trails. They never go in a straight line or gentle curve, but always travel in complex curves, from a simple sine wave to something looping. At times they look like little glowing sperm. > > I’ve mentioned this to several doctors, including ophthalmologists, and no one’s ever heard of the phenomenon. You wouldn’t happen to be [outside the atmosphere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray_visual_phenomena#Shapes), by any chance ? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/9 "2018-02-15T14:55:59Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Not sure whether what I see qualifies as bonnet syndrome. > > I’m 72, and what I occasionally see is what I call “fireflies”. I see points of light that travel across my field of vision in complex trails. They never go in a straight line or gentle curve, but always travel in complex curves, from a simple sine wave to something looping. At times they look like little glowing sperm. > > I’ve mentioned this to several doctors, including ophthalmologists, and no one’s ever heard of the phenomenon. I’m only in my 40s, and I’ve had this for at least a decade. Happens maybe a couple of times a year. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Sveltington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/10 "2018-02-15T15:31:49Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Years ago, I paid good money to acquire hallucinations, so they don’t scare me. I haven’t had any for a long time, or at least I think so. Sometimes, though, I see things on the news that can’t possibly be true. Ha! I get them for FREE!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/11 "2018-02-15T20:48:12Z")
Haven’t seen you around much, **Maastricht**. Nice to know you’re still here. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/12 "2018-02-15T21:32:01Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I’m only in my 40s, and I’ve had this for at least a decade. Happens maybe a couple of times a year. 😕 Me too. I think of them as the golden bees. They just happen at the edges of my vision for about a minute. I assume it’s some migraine thing, although no headache is associated. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/13 "2018-02-15T21:57:18Z")
Some of what is being described here sounds like it might be [floaters](https://nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/floaters) and flashers. These are typically benign and very common as one reaches a certain age, but they can be associated with [vitreous detachment](http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm) (think of your eyeball shedding its skin off the inner side of the back wall). This happened to me, and that detachment in itself is no big deal. In some cases, though, especially in people who are extremely nearsighted (like me), it can create a risk of retinal detachment. So if you are getting older and you think you’re seeing dangly or swirly things (particularly against a white background) or unexplained flashes of light, it might be worth visiting a retina specialist just to be safe. Or you may just be going slowly mad. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/14 "2018-02-15T23:41:30Z")
I see things that are not real because I drink. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/15 "2018-02-16T02:58:24Z")
I have about 99% vision loss, and have never experienced this phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/16 "2018-02-16T04:23:16Z")
I’ve got relatively normal vision with glasses, but I do sometimes have something that is similar. It looks more like a bit of static. It’s usually in lower light conditions, and usually when I don’t have my glasses on. Though one time I saw it with them on, while looking at this weird pile of rocks, out in bright daylight. All other times, adding a bit of extra light fixed the issue. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-dopers-with-worsening-eyesight-do-you-see-things-that-are-not-real/808819/17 "2018-02-16T04:38:43Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Not sure whether what I see qualifies as bonnet syndrome. > > I’m 72, and what I occasionally see is what I call “fireflies”. I see points of light that travel across my field of vision in complex trails. They never go in a straight line or gentle curve, but always travel in complex curves, from a simple sine wave to something looping. At times they look like little glowing sperm. > > I’ve mentioned this to several doctors, including ophthalmologists, and no one’s ever heard of the phenomenon. > [@Sveltington](#): > > Sounds to me like a silent migraine Yeah, that’s a migraine symptom. I call 'em shooting stars.