Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS)
among glaucoma patients.
Material and method: The study was prospectively conducted in University
Eye Clinic Iasi, Romania. The authors screened through an elaborated and
standardized ophthalmologic and neurological examination, 51 consecutive
glaucoma patients referred to our clinic during a 6-month period from January
through July 2000. Only glaucoma patients with a Snellen visual acuity (VA)
less than 20/80 or/and with a marked visual field (VF) defect in the absence of
any neurological disease were included in the study. Based on a specific
questionnaire completed by the selected patients, the personality traits were
measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, and the
loneliness degree, using De Jong-Gierveld-Kamphuis loneliness scale.
Results: CBS was more frequently encountered between elderly glaucoma
patients (over
60 years old). Women were more frequently describing the characteristic
visual phenomenon than age matched men. The visual phenomenon appeared
independently of the type of systemic or topical medication, as well as independently
of the intraocular pressure level and VF loss.
Conclusion: CBS is frequently encountered between glaucoma patients but
its visual phenomenon is very often undetected.