Ophthalmic Assistant

Answer: C - fictitious visual loss.

Malingering and hysterical visual loss are the two types of fictitious visual loss. The malingering patient deliberately pretends to have lost their vision for some kind of personal or financial gain, such as monetary compensation or to get attention.Hysterical visual loss usually results from emotional distress, such as witnessing a tragedy or experiencinga wrenching life change. Hysterical patients claim bilateral visual loss and differ frommalingerers in that they truly believe they are blind; this may represent a psychological escape from their environment and often results in complete dependence.