What if there was another way to treat your glaucoma?

Some who suffer from glaucoma have wondered whether cannabis could be a safe and natural treatment. But the truth is that cannabis and glaucoma are a really bad combination.

Wondering why you shouldn't try to treat your glaucoma with marijuana? Keep reading to discover the answer!

Old Research and Old Misconceptions

If you've ever thought that cannabis and glaucoma went together well, there is a reason for that. It stems from old and misunderstood findings from research that is nearly half a century old!

Research going back as far as the 1970s showed that consuming marijuana as a pill or receiving an injection could reduce intraocular pressure for a few hours. This eventually led to the misconception that marijuana could work wonders for somebody's glaucoma.

And it's true: certain forms of cannabis really do ease up the pressure in your eyes. Despite this, though, this is not a reliable or long-term solution for anyone suffering from glaucoma.

Cannabis and Eye Pressure

At this point, you may be wondering why you shouldn't seek out some medical cannabis. If it really can ease the pressure behind your eyes, then why should you avoid this as a treatment?

There are a couple of related reasons. The first is that you need something that can treat that pressure all day long. Since marijuana can only ease the pressure for three or four hours at a time, you'd need to be getting high throughout the entire day. Unless you are fully retired and live alone, this is not a good solution.

The other issue is just how much THC you'd need to consume. You would have to consume a minimum of 18mg of THC at a time for a minimum of six times throughout the day. And that means entire days where you can't work, drive, or do much besides sit around the house.

On a separate note, you'd also need to consider the cost. In the end, it may be cheaper to pursue traditional glaucoma treatments rather than buying and consuming over 100mg of THC each day!

Dangers to the Optic Nerve

Previously, we covered why cannabis is an impractical glaucoma solution for most patients. And in addition to being impractical, it may even be very dangerous!

Despite research stretching back to the 1970s, we still don't know that much about the relationship between cannabis, glaucoma, and eye pressure. And some experts think that prolonged use of marijuana as a glaucoma treatment could worsen your vision or even cause direct damage to your eyes.

In terms of direct damage, there is reason to believe that regular cannabis use may present a danger to your optic nerve. For example, low blood flow to the optic nerve can potentially cause damage. And because cannabis lowers your blood pressure (normally a good thing), it may actually put your optic nerve at risk of being damaged.

Long story short? Even if you wish to try cannabis as a 24-hour glaucoma treatment, you are putting your optic nerve and vision at risk the entire time you do so.

Different Forms of Cannabis Don't Work

What do you think about when you imagine consuming cannabis? Most people imagine smoking a joint, pipe, or even a bong. But there are more ways to consume cannabis than ever before.

Unfortunately, many of these different forms of cannabis are ineffective against glaucoma. And in some cases, they had some very annoying side effects.

For example, those who used THC eyedrops found out the hard way that it wouldn't work. Not only are water-based THC eyedrops ineffective as a form of glaucoma treatment, but they tend to cause a painful, burning sensation.

Other glaucoma patients have tried using sublingual (under the tongue) cannabis drops. While this doesn't cause any painful side effects, it also doesn't really do anything to ease your eye pressure.

To reduce the pressure, the most reliable way was to take THC pills or smoke marijuana cigarettes. But it is impractical to buy and consume enough pills per day, and smoking any kind of cigarette increases your risk of serious conditions such as lung cancer.

The Final Word on Cannabis and Glaucoma

One of the reasons that many still think cannabis is a good way to treat glaucoma is that they hear tall tales about this treatment working for a friend of a friend. Instead of listening to rumors and gossip, why not get your information straight from the authority on the topic?

Previously, the American Glaucoma Society researched whether cannabis would be an effective way to treat glaucoma. Afterward, they recommended against using cannabis because of the negative side effects, short duration, and relative lack of research.

As more states legalize both recreational and medical marijuana, additional research may discover more about cannabis and glaucoma. But right now, the Society recommends avoiding this entirely as a form of treatment.

Consult Your Physician

If you have been diagnosed with glaucoma, then you should already have a physician that you trust. And we wanted to offer a simple reminder: please consult with your physician before making any changes to your lifestyle that may affect your glaucoma.

It's especially important to not stop taking any prescribed medication without first speaking with your doctor. While cannabis is a wonderful way to relax, the most important thing is to make sure consuming cannabis will not put your health in danger.

Your Next Move

When you're researching cannabis and glaucoma, you don't have to do it on your own. When in doubt, why not reach out to the cannabis experts?

We specialize in flower, edibles, paraphernalia, and so much more. To see how we can help you learn more about cannabis, all you have to do is contact us today!