Glaucoma can be a rather sneaky condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about three million people in the U.S. are affected by glaucoma, and half of them don’t even know they have it. That’s because glaucoma often doesn’t cause any symptoms in its early stages.
If you’ve heard of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, you may be wondering if taking medical marijuana for glaucoma is a good idea. It’s true that marijuana can help people with certain conditions, but unfortunately, glaucoma isn’t one of them. We’ll explain why below.
Does Medical Marijuana Help Glaucoma?
Medical marijuana has been shown to improve depression, anxiety, poor appetite, and sleep problems. But what about glaucoma?
Many people think that medical marijuana is a magic bullet for whatever ails them. If you have glaucoma, though, using marijuana isn’t the best idea.
What Is Glaucoma?
To understand why using medical marijuana isn’t smart if you have glaucoma, we first need to explain a little more about what this condition entails.
Glaucoma is a condition that causes the optic nerve of your eyes to become damaged over time. This happens because fluid builds up around the front of your eye, which puts pressure on and damages the optic nerve. This type of pressure is called intraocular pressure.
Open-angle glaucoma often doesn’t cause symptoms. When it does, they tend to come on gradually. Symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma come on suddenly and can be rather severe.
Both types of glaucoma can cause:
- Headaches
- Eye pressure or pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rainbow-colored halos around lights
- Red eyes
- Tunnel vision, blurry vision, or blind spots
If left untreated, glaucoma can cause permanent blindness.
Medical Marijuana Is Not Ideal for People With Glaucoma
So why exactly is using medical marijuana for glaucoma a bad idea? If you have glaucoma, you need to manage the blood pressure levels of your eyes constantly. To do that, you’d need to take 18 to 20 milligrams of marijuana six to eight times daily.
It’s simply not safe or healthy to ingest that much THC. Not only would it hurt your lungs and seriously change your mood, but you’d also be too impaired to drive or work. Additionally, buying such quantities of marijuana would require a cost beyond what most people can’t afford.
There’s also no evidence that suggests medical THC eye drops, pre-rolls, or pills have a positive effect on people with glaucoma. In fact, the active ingredients in these products could actually damage the optic nerve.
One 2006 study found that low doses of marijuana had no effect on people with glaucoma. Higher doses (40 milligrams) caused increased intraocular eye pressure in some people.
In short, if you’re considering taking medical marijuana for glaucoma, don’t do it. Until researchers find a way to isolate cannabis compounds and get rid of side effects, using weed to help glaucoma just isn’t safe.
Other Solutions for Glaucoma Patients
Just because you have glaucoma doesn’t mean you need to put up with ever-worsening vision. Your doctor may recommend one of three glaucoma management options:
- Medication: Glaucoma medication is widely available as eye drops which can help lower the pressure in your eyes. Some common ones include Xalatan, Vyzulta, and Betoptic. Although eye drops are quite effective, they can come with side effects, like headaches, dry mouth, and stinging in your eyes.
- Minimally invasive surgery: Your doctor may be able to stave off glaucoma-related damage by inserting a tiny titanium tube into your eye, which makes another path for drainage. They can also perform a trabectome, which involves widening the opening of your eye. Both procedures have a fairly short recovery time.
- Laser surgery: Doctors can use laser surgery to lower fluid production and fix the membranes responsible for eye damage.
Reach Out to LeafMed to Learn More About Medical Marijuana
If you’d like to know more about why you should avoid using medical marijuana for glaucoma, call LeafMed at (601) 623-5323 or (228) 382-5323. We’re also happy to talk to you about using medical cannabis for multiple sclerosis and other conditions.