Main Menu
Medical marijuana has been legalized in more than 30 states to treat specific health conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, and seizures. Now, it is also approved to address glaucoma, a serious disease of the eye.
If you have already tried conventional glaucoma treatments without luck or if you want a gentler treatment that can still effectively reduce eye pressure, medical marijuana may be the best option
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. This is the nerve that connects and communicates between each eye and the brain. When glaucoma damages the function of the optic nerve, blindness occurs. It’s common for glaucoma to develop along with high pressure within the eye.
Glaucoma is typically treated with medicated eye drops to lower the pressure in the eye. The goal is to minimize pressure long-term so that glaucoma does not get any worse. However, not all people with glaucoma respond well to eye drops. Medical marijuana offers an alternative treatment therapy for this optical disease.
How Does Medical Marijuana Help Glaucoma?
Emerging research suggests that medical marijuana may lower intraocular pressure (IOP), just like standard glaucoma medication.
Experts don’t recommend glaucoma for mid-stage glaucoma since the effects only last three to four hours and require round-the-clock cannabis use for consistent results. However, medical marijuana is more commonly embraced to treat late-stage glaucoma to alleviate unwanted symptoms of the disease.
Countless glaucoma patients have used medical marijuana to successfully achieve relief from their worst symptoms:
- Intraocular pressure
- Inflammation
- Pain
- Nausea and vomiting