Copyright dailystar
A rare condition left a bloke experiencing visions of a woman with "Baywatch -style boobs" for ten days - which made him feel like a teen once again. Former teacher Mark Bryan, 45, underwent laser treatmen t on his right retina to eliminate scar tissue resulting from diabetic retinopathy - a vision-threatening complication connected to his type-I diabetes. However, merely six days post-operation in August, he received an unexpected eyeful while cooking sausages when he spotted a pair of 'breasts' in his right eye's peripheral vision. Mark continued witnessing the identical buxom apparition - which he dubbed 'Taloula' - for ten consecutive days and described it as having "Pamela Anderson pinned to my face." He eventually received a diagnosis of Charles Bonnet syndrome, a condition that triggers hallucinations, frequently following substantial sight loss. These manifestations can vary from basic patterns to elaborate imagery of individuals or scenery - and may materialise and vanish unexpectedly. Mark's curvaceous vision persisted even with his eyes shut, and would manifest without notice - whilst brushing his teeth or viewing television. Fortunately, the imagery vanished after ten days. Mark, from Redbridge, London, said: "It was very funny. I felt like such a teenager. I had that poster of Pamela Anderson on my wall when I was younger, this was like having it pinned to my face. "My wife kept looking at me like I'd lost my mind, I just kept joking that I was going to run away with Taloula. To be honest I thought I might have lost my mind too. "Although it was hilarious it scared the crap out of me as well. It kept popping up and wouldn't go away. "It was like ten days of someone jump scaring me. After that the image faded." The NHS website explains that Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a condition where individuals experience hallucinations - perceiving things that aren't real. This typically occurs after significant sight loss, and it's not associated with mental health issues . The hallucinations, which are purely visual, can last for hours. Mark has been experiencing vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy - a condition where high blood sugar levels damage the retina. He was diagnosed in June. To restore some of his vision, scar tissue needed to be removed, requiring Mark to wear an eye patch during recovery. Following the operation, he had to spend three quarters of every hour lying on his front for three days. He admitted: "I found the surgery really traumatic. "It's done under a local so you can see the instruments coming towards your eye. But I guess this was the up-side." Mark was informed that his CBS - a condition where otherwise mentally sound individuals experience complex hallucinations - was a result of his brain compensating for the lack of input from his right eye. During the procedure, doctors inserted an air bubble into Mark's eye to aid the healing of the macula - the muscle surrounding the retina. A blushing Mark revealed that the bubble's movement made the hallucinated breasts "very animated", much to his wife April's, 41, dismay. Following two days, Mark refused to venture outside as the 'breasts' became overlaid onto individuals he encountered while shopping locally and visiting Burger King . He explained that the only way to banish the image - which would startle him up to 20 times daily - was through intense concentration on something else or by shouting profanities. As the bubble in his eye slowly diminished, so too did the size of the breasts. Mark, who received a type-I diabetes diagnosis over two decades ago, remarked: "It was quite disappointing, after three weeks poor Taloula looked more like a topless man." Mark underwent the procedure again on September 10 - but the hallucinations didn't resurface. His optician informed him that such hallucinations are typically unique to each sufferer. He confessed: "That makes me feel like a bit of a perv. It's embarrassing but you've got to have a bit of a laugh."
