Losing your sight is a difficult enough ordeal, but for Doreen Render, the experience was all the more terrifying as she started to see apparitions of gorillas, snakes and 'evil' faces all around her, as her sight faded.

The 79-year-old was so unsettled and embarrassed that she didn't even confide in husband Harry, for fear of him not believing her.

Six years on, Mrs Render, from Attleborough, has been diagnosed with a macular degeneration which led her to experience Charles Bonnet Syndrome - a condition which causes those who have been affected by sight loss to suffer vivid hallucinations.

Now Mrs Render, who lives on Thieves Lane, hopes to spread the word and raise awareness.

She has spoken out after the publication of new research, in the British Journal of Opthalmology, which found that - out of a sample of 492 people - 36pc of those who suffered hallucinations after sight loss thought the medical professional was 'unsure or did not know' about the diagnosis.

'People really, really need to know - especially if they live by themselves. There must be an awful lot of frightened people going through the same thing as I was,' Mrs Render said.

When she started experiencing unusual apparitions - gold and silver flashes and dimming lights in the room - Mrs Render put it down to her blindness in one eye.

'I didn't tell anyone. I just thought I was going mad. It was really difficult,' she said.'My friends and family didn't know, but I finally confided in one friend who I knew would believe me.'

It was after the loss of sight in both eyes, three years ago, that the visions became more vivid.

'I started seeing boomerangs coming at my face. They came so fast and with such force that I used to put my hands up', she said.

Soon, Mrs Render was seeing snakes, gorillas and floating wardrobes on a regular basis - but the worst was yet to come.

She said: 'I wake up from sleep and when I open my eyes I see faces – it started off with a lady's face and it was so evil it frightened the life out of me.'

Reaching breaking point, Mrs Render phoned the Macular Society for a solution, who advised her to get involved with the study.

Mrs Render said; 'Having macular degeneration is devastating, it really is life changing. Through the Macular Society I've been speaking to other people who have the condition, which has really helped. I now know I'm not the only one.'

Have you been affected by Charles Bonnet Syndrome? Contact Lauren Cope on lauren.cope@archant.co.uk