A new telephone chat service called 'Esme's Friends' has been launched for people who live with Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS).
The service is hosted by local, national and regional sight loss charities. The first one was hosted by Christopher Grange/Bradbury Fields in Liverpool but it has been picked up by 20 charities to date, with many more in the planning stage.
"It is proving a life-line for people with CBS and a real chance to exchange experiences and coping strategies," says Esme's Umbrella founder Judith Potts. "Most importantly, people discover that they are not alone. Friendships are made with plans to meet soon, or when lockdown is lifted."
For information about how to set up a group, or for their locations, please contact Judith Potts on esmesumbrella@gmail.com
The latest research explores how CBS affects children and can be accessed here: https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2020/09/15/bjophthalmol-2020-317237
Lockdown, with its isolation and stress has exacerbated CBS in everyone - children too - and the hallucinations seen have become much more frightening. Read Judith's recent article here: https://www.eyenews.uk.com/features/ophthalmology/post/covid-19-and-charles-bonnet-syndrome