Pseudohallucinations in diabetic eye disease: a natural Rorschach test?

In diabetic eye disease, worsening vision may lead to the phenomenon of pseudohallucinations. Illustrated by a case history, a hypothesis is proposed which views this phenomenon as a kind of deprivation. This deprivation has implications for treatment, since reassurance and explanation seem more appropriate than pharmacological action. Other forms of sensory deprivation may occur in which one might expect the same situation, for example in polyneuropathy or impending deafness.