Charles Bonet Sundrome

Charles Bonet Syndrome

Most of you know I have Dry Macular Degeneration. I’m almost positive I inherited it from my parents. Both of them had DMD. My dad was the first, then my mom. Dad was legally blind, so far I have not reached that level. I can no longer read, but I’m thankful for a program that allows me to borrow talking books free. At the present, I’m enjoying books I read years ago like, “The Call of the Wild.” More modern books can be borrowed through the Library of Congress and a program called, B.A.R.T. I am thankful I can enjoy books again.

If you have low vision of any kind, and there are other diseases besides DMD, you should check out Hadley.com. I check in on Saturday’s to see what they have talked about during the week. Saturday was earth shattering for me. I learned so much.

My optometrist tells  me my brain stores pictures and images. I know it does, because during the course of my disease, I’ve seen things that are not there. I thought I was crazy. The images are so real. 

When my eyes began to change quickly, I would cut off the heads of people. Not many, only two. The next thing was a cobra at the foot of my bed. I see colors and shapes. My hallucinations are changing more. When our preacher stands before the pews in front of the pews  for Bible study and our evening service, sometimes he wears a purse on his shoulder, or a scarf in his pocket, and the latest is a tool belt. He’s aware of these images I see.

Saturday, I found out I am not crazy. This is Charles Bonet Syndrome. It’s been around forever, and the syndrome only affects people who are losing their sight. Our eyes are playing tricks on us. 

I’ve talked to people who have either wet or dry MD, and they experience the same thing. Like me, they didn’t want to tell anyone about it. It will not kill you or hurt you in any way. You will feel crazy, but don’t fell that way. It’s okay to see things if you have low vision.

I hope this has helped you, if you have any eye problem. Google Charles Bonet Syndrome and find out more about bout it. God gave us this problem, and I laugh now when I see something happen with my eyes. I did not enjoy the snakes though.

Kathy Cretsinger

   Callie’s Mountain

Nothing Shady Ever Happens in Shady Valley Series

Book 1, Bogged Down by Murder

Book 2, Death by Doubloons, 2022

Book 3, Shady Connections. 2025

Book 4, Murder and Goat Yoga

Unlikely Candidate  October 8., 2024

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