Factitious disorder, presenting haemolacria in a Pakistani tribal illiterate female: A rare case report

Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2021 Jul;57(3):1532-1535. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12689. Epub 2020 Nov 26.

Abstract

Introduction: It could be challenging for healthcare workers to diagnose patients with factitious disorder who present with rare ophthalmologic manifestations such as haemolacria, because of the unavailability of adequate literature and associated guidelines. The present case report aims to fulfill this knowledge gap.

Case presentation: A 20-year-old tribal illiterate married female patient with symptoms of bleeding episodes from her left eye was admitted to the hospital. An extensive workup was done for diagnosing possible bleeding disorders but all the parameters were normal. Later on, she was diagnosed with factitious disorder presenting haemolacria after sufficient evidence at the psychiatric unit observations. The patient was treated accordingly, counseled and discharged, but lost-out to follow-ups.

Practical implications: The present case is reported from a developing country, Pakistan, for the first-time may help in diagnosing patients suffering from factitious disorder with unusual ophthalmologic problems.

Keywords: bleeding disorder; case report in Pakistan; factitious disorder; haemolacria; ophthalmologic symptoms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Factitious Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Pakistan
  • Young Adult