Clarksville, Tennessee – Victor Sharrah of Clarksville, Tennessee had always prided himself on his sharp vision. However, in November 2020, his world was turned upside down when he began to see people’s faces as distorted and demonic. Their features appeared stretched and warped, causing him to question his reality.
After seeking advice from a friend who worked with visually impaired individuals, Sharrah was diagnosed with prosopometamorphopsia, or PMO, a rare neurological disorder that distorts the perception of faces. Unlike traditional visual impairments, PMO only affects Sharrah’s perception of faces in person, not in photographs or on screens. This unique aspect caught the attention of researchers at Dartmouth College, who were able to create digital representations of the warped faces Sharrah sees through image-editing software.
The study, published in The Lancet, shed light on the condition, offering insights into how PMO affects individuals like Sharrah. While the symptoms typically resolve within days or weeks, some cases can persist for years. In Sharrah’s case, the researchers identified two possible triggers for his PMO: carbon monoxide poisoning and a head injury that left a lesion on his brain. This finding adds to the ongoing research into the causes and mechanisms behind PMO.
Lead author Antônio Mello, a Ph.D. student at Dartmouth’s Social Perception Lab, highlighted the varying experiences of individuals with PMO. Some have reported seeing distorted faces since childhood, while others develop symptoms later in life. The condition, though rare, may be underreported and often misdiagnosed by healthcare professionals unfamiliar with PMO.
Despite the challenges he faces, Sharrah has found ways to cope with his condition. Living with roommates and wearing green-tinted glasses in crowds has helped alleviate his symptoms. Through sharing his story, Sharrah hopes to raise awareness about PMO and offer support to others struggling with the condition.
In a world where perception is reality, individuals like Sharrah navigate a unique and often misunderstood condition. By shedding light on the complexities of PMO, researchers aim to better understand the underlying causes and provide support for those affected by this rare neurological disorder.