How Does Medical Marijuana Help Glaucoma?

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that damages the eye's optic nerve. It occurs when fluid builds up around the front part of the eye, creating high pressure. One main form of glaucoma is open-angle, the most common form that accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, there are 3 million Americans who are currently living with glaucoma, while only half of these individuals know that they have this condition.

What are the symptoms?

Here are some of the most common symptoms associated with glaucoma:

• Blind spots

• Blurred vision

• Halos around lights

• Eye pain

• Redness of the eyes

• Nausea

• Headaches

• Vomiting

• Vision disturbances

How Can Medical Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is when the optic nerve becomes damaged in one way or another, usually due to intraocular pressure. The damage often results in partial or total blindness. Medical marijuana effectively reduces intraocular pressure so has been deemed an effective treatment to alleviate the symptoms of glaucoma.

​The only way to control glaucoma and prevent vision loss is to lower your IOP levels, and your ophthalmologist can treat glaucoma with medication. This ranges from prescription eye drops to surgery depending on the type and severity of glaucoma.

Marijuana is effective at reducing intraocular pressure for a short period of time (roughly 4 hours). There are now products that provide all of the medicinal benefits of the drug without the associated ‘high’ feeling. These products make use of the compound found in marijuana that isn’t psychoactive, known as CBD. This way, without the “high, medical marijuana can be used throughout the day without interfering with your normal daily activities.

The effects of a single-dose may be short-lived, yet this does not delegitimize marijuana’s effectiveness at improving quality of life for patients with glaucoma. Not only does marijuana provide a nearly instant reduction in intraocular pressure, but medical marijuana can provide relief from other symptoms of the disease such as nausea, pain, and headaches.

If you or someone you love suffers from glaucoma, you do qualify for medical marijuana treatment. Call us today (877) 303-3117 to learn more and to book your appointment!