Charles Bonnet syndrome and visual acuity--the involvement of dynamic or acute sensory deprivation.

A 61-year-old patient suffered from Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) while his visual acuity declined, whereas CBS subsided after he became blind. These findings suggest that reduction of visual acuity (dynamic or acute impairment) has a greater impact on the onset of CBS than low visual acuity (static or chronic impairment) per se in some patients. They may also explain why patients with low visual acuity do not always suffer from CBS. Although further studies are required, the present case highlights the importance of the differentiation between lowering and low visual acuity in the etiology of CBS.