Best Cannabis Strains for Glaucoma Relief
For a long time, people have talked about cannabis and glaucoma. Some old studies even showed that using cannabis could lower eye pressure for a little while. This pressure inside your eye is called intraocular pressure, or IOP.
This article will look at how cannabis might play a role. We’ll explore the best cannabis strains glaucoma relief for managing symptoms or maybe helping alongside regular treatments. But, it’s super important to know that cannabis is not a replacement for the usual ways doctors treat glaucoma.
Right from the start, we need to be very clear: Glaucoma is a serious eye problem. You need an eye doctor, called an ophthalmologist, to take care of it. Most doctors today do not think cannabis should be the main treatment for glaucoma.
Understanding Glaucoma: The Basics of This Eye Condition
So, what is glaucoma? It’s not just one thing, but a group of eye diseases. These diseases damage the optic nerve. This nerve is like a cable that sends pictures from your eye to your brain.
Often, glaucoma is linked to high pressure inside your eye (IOP). If glaucoma isn’t treated, it can slowly cause you to lose your sight. That’s why it’s so serious.
Doctors have good ways to treat glaucoma. These include special eye drops, laser treatments, and sometimes surgery. These treatments are proven to help.
How Cannabis Might Affect Intraocular Pressure (IOP) and Other Symptoms
Our bodies have a neat system called the Endocannabinoid System, or ECS. It helps keep many things in balance, like pain and mood. This ECS is also found in our eyes.
Cannabis has parts that can talk to this ECS. Let’s look at how these parts might affect glaucoma.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and IOP Reduction
THC is the part of cannabis that can make people feel “high.” Some studies, especially older ones, found that THC can lower eye pressure (IOP) for a short time.
But there are big problems with using THC for glaucoma. The IOP-lowering effect only lasts a few hours. This means someone would have to use cannabis many times a day, every day, to keep the pressure down.
Also, the amount of THC needed to lower IOP can cause strong “high” feelings. This can make it hard to live a normal life. Some doctors also worry that THC might reduce blood flow to the optic nerve, which could be bad.
CBD (Cannabidiol) and IOP
CBD is another part of cannabis. It doesn’t make you feel “high.” What about CBD and eye pressure? Well, the research here is tricky.
Some studies show CBD might not lower IOP much, or at all. A few studies even hinted that CBD could slightly increase IOP in some people. So, it’s not clear if CBD directly helps lower eye pressure.
But, CBD might help in other ways. It can fight swelling (inflammation). Some early lab work (not in people yet) hints it might protect nerve cells. CBD can also help people feel less anxious, which can be good if you’re worried about having glaucoma.
Cannabis might also help with other glaucoma-related issues:
Nausea/Side Effects from Conventional Treatments
Sometimes, the usual glaucoma medicines can cause side effects, like making you feel sick. Cannabis is known to help with nausea for some people.
Pain or Discomfort
Some types of glaucoma can be painful. Cannabis can help with pain.
Sleep and Anxiety
Dealing with any health problem can make it hard to sleep or cause worry. Cannabis might help people relax and sleep better.
Cannabis also has things called terpenes. These give cannabis its smell and might have some effects.
Pinene
Pinene smells like pine trees. Some very early research hints it might help fluid drain from the eye. But this is just a tiny hint, and we need much more research.
Myrcene/Linalool
Myrcene often smells earthy, and linalool smells like lavender. These terpenes are known for helping people relax. This could be good if glaucoma is causing stress.
Why Cannabis Isn’t a Standalone Glaucoma Treatment
Even though cannabis can lower eye pressure for a bit, eye doctors don’t recommend it as the main treatment for glaucoma. Here’s why:
Short Duration of IOP-Lowering Effect
As we said, the effect on eye pressure doesn’t last long. You’d have to use cannabis around the clock. This is not practical for most people.
Psychoactive Side Effects of Effective THC Doses
To get enough THC to lower eye pressure, you’d likely feel pretty “high” much of the time. This can affect your ability to drive, work, or just live your daily life.
Potential Negative Impact on Optic Nerve Blood Flow
Some studies suggest that high doses of THC might actually reduce blood flow to the optic nerve. This could make glaucoma worse, not better.
Lack of Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Data as Primary Treatment
We don’t have good studies showing that using cannabis long-term is safe and effective as the main way to treat glaucoma.
Strong Recommendation from American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
This is very important. The main groups of eye doctors in America and around the world say that cannabis should not be used as the main treatment for glaucoma. They say the standard treatments are much better and safer.
Exploring Potential Cannabis Strains
So, if cannabis isn’t the main treatment, how do we talk about the best cannabis strains glaucoma relief? We need to think about strains that might help with other symptoms related to glaucoma. Or, if a doctor and patient decide to try it for IOP, it must be done very carefully alongside regular treatment.
Strains with Moderate THC Content
If an eye doctor who also knows about cannabis thinks it’s okay to try THC for its temporary IOP effect, they might suggest strains with a medium amount of THC. These would need to be used very carefully, with close watching of eye pressure and any side effects.
- Examples you might hear (but strains vary, and a doctor must guide this): Blue Dream, or ACDC if it has some THC balanced with CBD.
High-CBD Strains
If the main goal isn’t to lower eye pressure with cannabis, but to help with feeling anxious about glaucoma, or to help with swelling, then high-CBD strains might be an option.
- Examples (strains vary): Charlotte’s Web, Harle-Tsu.
Balanced THC: CBD Strains
Strains with a more even mix of THC and CBD could offer some of THC’s effects (like on IOP) but with CBD helping to make the “high” less strong.
Examples (strains vary, doctor’s advice needed): Harlequin, Cannatonic.
It’s so important to remember: finding the best cannabis strains glaucoma relief is complicated. Cannabis should mostly support, not replace, your eye doctor’s main treatment plan.
Considerations for Glaucoma Patients
How you use cannabis can also make a difference.
Oral Consumption (Oils, Tinctures, Edibles)
Taking cannabis by mouth (like oils, drops, or edibles) can make the effects last longer. But, it takes longer for them to start working. This makes it harder to get the timing right if you’re trying to affect eye pressure.
Inhalation (Vaping Preferred Over Smoking)
Breathing in cannabis (vaping is better than smoking for your lungs) makes it work fast. This might seem good for lowering IOP quickly. But it’s bad for your lungs, and the effect still doesn’t last long enough.
Sublingual Sprays/Strips
Sprays or strips that dissolve under your tongue work faster than edibles. The dose can be more controlled than with smoking or vaping.
Eye Drops (Experimental/Not Commercially Available)
Scientists are trying to make eye drops with cannabis parts. The idea is to get the medicine right into the eye without making the whole body feel the effects. But these are still being studied and are not something you can buy now.
Note: Thinking about medical cannabis? It’s smart to get it legally and safely. Accessing medical cannabis legally for any condition, including as a potential adjunct for glaucoma symptoms, begins with a consultation and approval from a recommending physician.
Legal Access and the Crucial Role of Your Eye Doctor
In many places, glaucoma is a condition that can allow you to get a medical marijuana card. But this doesn’t mean you should use it as your main glaucoma treatment.
Your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) MUST be the main person in charge of your glaucoma care. If you are thinking about using cannabis for any reason related to your glaucoma, you absolutely must talk to them first.
Collaborating with Your Healthcare Team
Working with your doctors is key.
Open Dialogue with Your Ophthalmologist
This is number one. Tell your eye doctor if you are interested in cannabis. They need to know everything you are doing for your health.
Regular IOP Monitoring
If you and your doctor decide to try cannabis that might affect your eye pressure, you will likely need to have your IOP checked more often.
Reporting All Effects and Side Effects
Tell your doctor about any good effects or any bad side effects you notice from using cannabis. For those whose medical team agrees that exploring medical cannabis is appropriate, HealifyNowMMJCards can assist with the medical card application process, ensuring access to regulated products.
The Current Stance of Medical Organizations
It’s good to know what the big groups of eye doctors say. Groups like the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Glaucoma Research Foundation do NOT recommend cannabis as a main or only treatment for glaucoma. They say the current standard treatments work better and are safer.
Conclusion: An Adjunctive Consideration, Not a Primary Solution
So, what’s the bottom line? While cannabis, especially THC, can lower eye pressure for a short time, eye doctors do not think it’s a good or safe main treatment for glaucoma.
It might have a small role for some people in helping with other symptoms. Or, it could be tried very carefully with an eye doctor’s close watch, alongside regular treatments. But this needs a lot of discussion with your eye doctor. The journey to find the best cannabis strains glaucoma relief for any related symptoms must be guided by expert medical advice, prioritizing established treatments and optic nerve health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions.
Can cannabis cure glaucoma?
No, absolutely not. Cannabis cannot cure glaucoma. It also cannot fix any damage already done to your optic nerve.
Is smoking marijuana a good way to treat glaucoma?
No. Eye doctor groups advise against smoking marijuana for glaucoma. The effect on eye pressure is too short, there are side effects, and it’s bad for your lungs.
Does CBD help glaucoma?
It’s not clear. Some studies show it might not lower eye pressure, and it could even raise it a bit for some people. CBD is not seen as a main treatment for glaucoma.
Should I stop my glaucoma eye drops if I use cannabis?
Absolutely NOT! Never, ever stop or change your prescribed glaucoma treatment unless your eye doctor tells you to. This is very dangerous for your sight.
