Living With CBS.

Navigating life with CBS can be a unique journey, filled with both triumphs and uncertainties. We offer a compassionate space where individuals can find practical strategies, personal stories, and expert advice to help them navigate the complexities of daily life while managing CBS.

Living with CBS

People who develop Charles Bonnet Syndrome are usually aware that the visual hallucinations are not real.

CBS affects every person differently. For some people, the vivid, silent, visual hallucinations are easy to tolerate, occur infrequently and are pleasant – even entertaining – in appearance. However, for others, CBS episodes are described as being ‘like horror films’, constant and terrifying.

It is not possible to predict whether or not CBS will develop after sight loss. There are some people for whom it never occurs.

Neither is it possible to determine what images will be seen, for how long the CBS episode with last nor whether or not the episodes will gradually fade away.

Illustrations from
people who live with CBS

  • Gareth Brookes

  • Gareth Brookes

  • Melanie Shee

  • Melanie Shee

  • Melanie Shee

  • Melanie Shee

Stories From
People With CBS

Nina Chesworth 

lives with Charles Bonnet Syndrome every waking hour. Despite being visually impaired from childhood, Nina achieved a degree in Design and Art. She lost her sight entirely after two accidents but her creativity remained. In this video she describes what CBS is like for her and how she created the KAM programme (Knowledge, Acceptance and Management of CBS) to help alleviate her visual hallucinations.

Nina works as Visionary’s Projects and Campaigns Co-ordinator.

Miles Northwood

Miles played Blind Cricket for England. He is the Development Officer for the World Blind Cricket Council, International Director for Blind Cricket England and Wales and Community Fundraising Relationship manager for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Miles wrote a letter to his Charles Bonnet Syndrome monsters.

man walking a dog

Nathan Foy

Nathan Foy works on Operations and Projects for Guide Dogs.

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