Visual distortions and depersonalization-derealization syndrome

Disturbances of visual perception like micropsia, macropsia, teleopsia, pelopsia, metamorphopsia or loss of stereoscopic depth perception are usually considered in ophthalmology as symptoms of retinopathy, especially maculopathy or disorders of binocularity. Differential diagnostic considerations include disorders like migraine and epilepsy but not the visual disturbance pertaining to the depersonalization-derealization syndrome, although the above-mentioned symptoms are more prevalent in this psychogenic disorder. This article gives a review of depersonalization-derealization in order to enable the ophthalmologist to include this syndrome into his diagnostic considerations.