When every face you see is distorted: Living with PMO

By Khaleel Rahman,

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Megan Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken , Meg Dalton, Chion Wolf

Published December 13, 2024 at 11:02 AM EST

1 of 2 — Dream Vision.

When faces or parts of faces are perceived as distorted, the condition is known as prosopometamorphopsia (PMO). “Prosopo” comes from the Greek word for face prosopon while “metamorphopsia” refers to perceptual distortions.

agsandrew / iStockphoto via Getty Images

2 of 2 — Prosopometamorphopsia, often referred to as demon face syndrome, is a visual condition that causes faces to appear distorted. Individuals with this disorder perceive facial features as altered in various ways, such as drooping, swelling, discoloration, or changes in their position.

Prosopometamorphopsia, often referred to as demon face syndrome, is a visual condition that causes faces to appear distorted. Individuals with this disorder perceive facial features as altered in various ways, such as drooping, swelling, discoloration, or changes in their position.

Anthony Mello, The Lancet

Imagine waking up one morning and seeing every face around you as demonic - twisted, distorted, and unrecognizable. Are you hallucinating? Would you think people were possessed? Should you call 911? Now, what if it’s not demons you’re seeing, but constantly shifting facial features on everyone, including yourself? And what if this has been your reality since birth?

Meet two people living with this rare and perplexing condition, prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), and a researcher dedicated to understanding it. Hear their stories and learn about a simple, surprising treatment for this mysterious disorder.

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GUESTS:

Brad Duchaine: Researcher at Dartmouth who studies face blindness and is a leading researcher on PMO
Victor Sharrah: Clarkesville, Tennessee resident who discovered in 2020 that he has prosopometamorphopsia (AKA demon face syndrome or PMO)
Veronica Smith: PMO patient who sees facial features moving. They have been experiencing this since they were four years old, and the distortions appear mostly on themself rather than on other people

Khaleel Rahman, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Meg Dalton contributed to this show.

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