Jersey woman with rare sensory condition hopes her story will help others

A Jersey woman with a rare sensory condition is speaking publicly about it in hope it will reassure other islanders going through the same experience.

Norma Davis has a form of Charles-Bonnet syndrome that causes hallucinations both in what she sees and hears.

The visions she sees can take many forms, as Norma explained: "I can suddenly see a field of pink flowers, but they're not normal flowers they're on stalks with little pink heads".

When it comes to what she hears, there are a variety of sounds.

Norma continued: "It can be bagpipes, it can be country and western music, but it's real and it's loud.

"I thought I was going round the twist. I mean this morning, half past four it happened. It comes on gradually and gets louder and louder and then suddenly it's gone".

Charles-Bonnet syndrome usually arises once a person's senses start to deteriorate.

This can causes the brain to produce hallucinations to compensate for the lost sensation.

Eyecan's rehabilitation officer, Chris Frost, says: "If someone has experienced significant sight loss, the brain will try to conjure up these images to try to replace those that have been lost.

"It tends to subside in time - some people experience it for a matter of days, sometimes weeks - other people experience it for a little bit longer, it can be quite disconcerting for people".

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