Table 1.
Features of Visual Hallucination | Most Likely Etiologies |
Simple patterns, spots, shapes, or lines; unilateral distribution; associated with headache | Migraine, seizure, tumor |
Macropsia, micropsia, metamorphopsia | Seizure, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
Associated with going to, or waking from, sleep | Hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations |
Confabulation of all vision | Anton's syndrome |
Frightening content | Psychotic disorder, delirium, hallucinogenic drug |
Good insight | Charles Bonnet syndrome, migraine, peduncular hallucinosis |