Does Cannabis Affect Your Vision?
Many are familiar with the stereotypical look of someone who smokes marijuana. They are seen as lazy, carefree, and have bloodshot eyes. Although this is a stereotype and marijuana users come in all shapes and sizes, from medical to recreational, a user's eyes can appear red. But why? The effects of cannabis on eyesight have not been well-studied. Some studies indicate that cannabis may affect your vision, but it's unclear whether this is a problem or a meaningless side effect. Today, we'll look at the current state of knowledge about how cannabis affects your eyes.
The Cannabis and Eye Connection
As you smoke marijuana, you may wonder why your eyes appear red. Some assume this is due to the smoke, which may irritate your eyes. This is not exactly true, as you can still experience red eyes even after eating edibles. Well, the reason for red eyes is not so complicated. Your eyes get red when you smoke marijuana because of the THC. THC affects the body in many ways, and it can make you feel relaxed or even anxious. THC may dilate your blood vessels, which happens all over your body when you consume THC-rich cannabis. This includes the eyes. Since your eyes are so visible, the effects are more obvious.
There are several muscles and parts that make up your eyes. Iris, cornea, pupil, and sclera are some of the main parts of the outer eye. The white part of the eye is called the sclera. This part might turn red when you smoke cannabis. Some of the muscles change when you smoke. There are muscles in the eye responsible for adjusting focus and muscles that move our eyes around. The ability of the eyes to move from one object to another or follow an object is not substantially affected by THC. THC, however, has been shown to affect our ability to focus. An example of this is that you can probably perform an eye exam and perform well after using cannabis but will have issues driving.
You will also experience less glare recovery when you smoke. In general, glare occurs when the intensity of light exceeds the eyes' sensitivity. This means your eyes cannot handle too much light. The glare recovery process can take several seconds when the new light level differs from the previous one. Details remain relatively indistinguishable to the eye during this period. Think about when you spend a lot of time outside, and then you walk into a dark room. Or, you see a bright light after staying in a dark room for an extended period.
The retina is the part of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells that transmit images to the brain. It has also been shown to be affected by THC. A 2016 study published in JAMA, took 28 participants that regularly use cannabis and found a delay in retinal information processing. In the retina, it was found that regular cannabis use might delay the processing of visual information. This study is not conclusive as it was preliminary and is not intended to determine cause and effect, so information should not be taken as definitive.
Dry Eyes And Cannabis
The common complaint of cannabis smokers is that they have dry mouths and even dry eyes. You might notice that your eyes are red and itchy after a session. While every cannabis user shares these effects, many don't understand why or how this happens.
Smoke might play a role in why your eyes feel dry, but the most significant factor is, yet again, THC. THC activates cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the lacrimal gland, causing dry eyes. The lacrimal glands are located above the end of the eye. The gland's job is to lubricate and moisten the eye's surface, which cleans and protects it.
Cannabis may cause eye pressure to rise.
If you use cannabis, you must be aware of the potential for your eye pressure to rise. If your eye pressure does increase, it can cause nearsightedness and Glaucoma. Your doctor can help you manage this problem if you are concerned about increased pressure from cannabis use.
Could Cannabis Affect Glaucoma
If you use cannabis, you must be aware of the potential for your eye pressure to rise. If your eye pressure does increase, it can cause nearsightedness and Glaucoma. Your doctor can help you manage this problem if you are concerned about increased pressure from cannabis use.
Could Cannabis Affect Glaucoma
In America, one of the leading causes of blindness is Glaucoma. This condition primarily affects adults over sixty, but few even know they have it due to Glaucoma having no early symptoms. Glaucoma is a disease that destroys the optic nerve due to pressure from the fluid in your eye. When the optic nerve is damaged, the eye's ability to control fluid and pressure is compromised.
Cannabis and Glaucoma have a complicated relationship, as THC can reduce the pressure in your eye in some cases, but CBD has been shown to have the opposite effect. THC reduces eye pressure for a short period of time. Compared to eye drops, THC is not an effective treatment for Glaucoma because you would need to smoke a lot of cannabis to get consistent results. The connection between THC and Glaucoma even spurred the American Glaucoma Society to issue a statement on the matter. Their message can be summarized as the group agrees that THC can reduce eye pressure. While the information is limited on whether it directly prevents Glaucoma, the potential side effects are the reason it is not recommended as a treatment.
Cannabis Can Be Used to Treat Other Conditions
Overall, cannabis can have some effects on your vision. Most of the common side effects, like dry or red eyes, are not severe. You may not be able to predict the extent to which these effects will impact you personally. If you are concerned about cannabis affecting your eyesight, consider reducing your smoking amount. For more information on how medical marijuana can help treat other conditions, visit our conditions page.
