The characteristic red eyes after marijuana are the culprit of the cannabinoid THC. Using cannabis in which there is no THC, as well as extracts containing CBD alone, does not have this effect.
Why do eyes turn red after marijuana?
The red-eye effect is stronger in some people, weaker in others, and can also vary depending on the variety and chemical composition of the cannabis plant. THC is responsible for the redness; it lowers blood pressure, causing blood vessels and capillaries to dilate.
This also applies to the eyeballs - the capillaries present in them dilate, increasing blood flow to the eyes, and at the same time reducing intraocular pressure. The latter effect is considered to be beneficial for patients/women at risk of developing glaucoma or already suffering from the disease, but THC has not yet been recognized as a drug that can be used for the disease.
Smoking cannabis and eye contact with smoke can increase the effect of red eyes, but does not eliminate it. Red eyes can also appear with other forms of administration hemp cannabinoids: After edibles containing THC, after taking oil, and after vaporization.
How to avoid red-eye after cannabis?
The only sure way to avoid the red-eye effect after taking cannabis is to use varieties of the plant that do not contain THC. Other hemp cannabinoids, including CBD, do not cause eye redness. Although CBD can also lower blood pressure, it does not cause such vasodilation and blood flow to the eyes, nor does it affect intraocular pressure.
A way to minimize red-eye after THC can be:
- Avoiding smoke - changing the way cannabis is administered, such as vaporization,
- The use of eye drops that protect against dryness of the eyeball and can reduce redness,
- Cold compresses on the eyes, can cause the blood vessels to contract and reduce redness,
- Take care of good hydration of the body.
Red eyes after THC-containing cannabis vs. glaucoma treatment
Most of the data on the possibilities THC applications in the treatment of Glaucoma dates back to the 1970s and early 1980s. W article from 1983, you can even read about the effects of administering THC-containing drops directly into people's eyes.
With marijuana outlawed in most parts of the world for several decades, no one cared. In 2022, researchers announced a newer study confirming that inhaled THC reduces intraocular pressure by an average of 15% for an average of 3 hours. This allows researchers to see THC as a viable treatment option this disease.
However, in the case of this hemp cannabinoid, the list of side effects and the consequences for those using it for medical purposes is a long one. It begins with the relatively long-lasting psychoactive effect of THC, the impossibility of driving under its influence, the need for frequent (about 6 times a day) use so that the pressure inside the eyeball is constantly lowered for a long time.
However, the researchers emphasize that THC sets a new path for thinking about glaucoma treatment, and there is hope that based on the data obtained, it will be possible to find a substance that works similarly, but without psychoactive effects. Until then, the recommended treatments for glaucoma are the conventional ones: drops, lasers and surgery.
