Anton's syndrome accompanying withdrawal hallucinosis in a blind alcoholic

During alcohol withdrawal, a man totally blind following ocular trauma experienced formed visual hallucinations ("alcoholic hallucinosis"), the unreality of which he recognized. During these same periods, however, he believed that his vision had been restored, and confabulated descriptions of his surroundings (Anton's syndrome). He was otherwise mentally normal. Anosognosia for blindness can occur episodically or chronically, and with either peripheral or central visual loss; dementia nearly always coexists. The basis of the syndrome is obscure, and its occurrence during alcohol withdrawal, in association with readily acknowledged visual hallucinations and otherwise preserved mentation, has not been previously reported.