Benign Visual Hallucinations, or “Phantom Vision” in Visually Impaired and Blind Persons

Abstract

Benign visual hallucinations in adventitiously blind and sight-impaired persons occur frequently and are a normal response to this type of sensory loss. They correspond to aspects of the phantom-limb experience of amputees and thus may be conceptualized as instances of “phantom vision.” Data from the authors’ research on the visual experiences of 443 blinded veterans illustrate their typical features as well as their diversity.