Glaucoma is no joke. The condition increases pressure in the affected eye, causing discomfort and damaging the optic nerve. If left untreated, it can eventually lead to blindness. Don’t believe it? Just ask Fetty Wap, who lost an eye to the condition.
But it’s not just Fetty. Over 3 million Americans have glaucoma, and about half of them don’t even know it. Fortunately, glaucoma is manageable if caught early, making routine eye exams important not to miss. If diagnosed, one of the ways you can manage it is with medical cannabis.
Glaucoma comes from fluid building up in the eye, causing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). The fluid, called aqueous humor, naturally drains from healthy eyes. When it doesn’t, it accumulates, increasing pressure within the eye until it damages the optic nerve. This damage can lead to partial or complete vision loss, since the optic nerve transmits visuals from the eye to the brain.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis helps lower IOP by:
Pausing fluid production temporarily decreases pressure in the eye, providing short-term glaucoma relief. THC also helps drain the eye fluid at the same time, decreases inflammation and oxidative stress, and confers neuroprotective effects. Similarly, its oxidized form known as cannabinol (CBN) shows similar effects in mice models, but not yet in humans.
It’s important to note, however, that CBD may have an opposing effect on eye pressure. In a small clinical study, 20mg of CBD had no effect on IOP, but 40mg of CBD increased eye pressure. If you have glaucoma, it may not be wise to add CBD oil to your regimen.
Even though THC-dominant cannabis offers short-term relief, many medical organizations and practitioners don’t consider it a primary treatment for glaucoma. Instead, they recommend FDA-approved medications like latanoprost and bimatoprost eye drops, which provide 24-hour relief with a single daily dose. However, if you’re allergic to these eye drops or simply can’t get them, cannabis may be a suitable alternative.
Keep in mind that THC’s effects on glaucoma are short-lived, with 5mg oral THC lasting around 2–4 hours, according to the same small clinical study. This means you’d need to get high around the clock, day and night, to manage the condition with THC alone, which is not practical nor healthy for most people.
READ: How to Get Rid of Stoned Eyes Fast: Quick and Easy Tips
Glaucoma isn’t the only eye issue that cannabis may help with. Research suggests that cannabinoids like CBD and THC may also help with conditions like macular degeneration, uveitis, and diabetic retinopathy. Let’s take a look at each of these conditions and cannabis’ effects on them.
Diabetes causes diabetic retinopathy (DR) by damaging blood vessels in the retina. The damage can cause retina leakage, swelling, or blocked blood flow, leading to partial or complete vision loss. Initial symptoms of DR may include blurry vision, floaters, and difficulty seeing at night.
Currently, over 9 million people in the U.S. have DR, making it a leading cause of blindness in most adults. While prescription drugs can help manage DR’s symptoms, cannabis compounds like CBD have also shown promise.
One preclinical study, published in the World Journal of Diabetes, suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) might help protect against DR by reducing inflammation, inhibiting adenosine reuptake, and preventing nerve damage in animal models. It does this by boosting the eye’s natural defenses against oxidative stress and stopping the harmful processes that make DR worse.
Another study published in the American Journal of Pathology investigated how CBD affects DR in diabetic animal models. According to this older research, CBD may reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell damage in the retina. The cannabinoid may also strengthen eye blood vessels to prevent leaks and improve overall eye health.
While these findings are promising, researchers still need to conduct clinical trials to confirm CBD’s effects on humans with diabetic retinopathy. Also, since cannabis affects everyone differently, CBD’s effects on DR may vary between individuals.
Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is the weakening of the central part of the retina, known as the macula. It causes blurry or reduced vision and is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. In 2019, about 19.8 million Americans above 40 had AMD.
According to one study, compared to non-cannabis users, individuals who used cannabis more than 100 times were significantly less likely to develop AMD. Also, daily cannabis users had a lower risk of AMD than those who used it less than once a month. This effect may stem from cannabis’ anti-inflammatory properties slowing retinal damage or its neuroprotective properties preserving retinal cells.
However, the same study found that the heavy cannabis users who eventually developed AMD got AMD approximately eight years earlier than non-users. The mixed results indicate that cannabis’s effects on AMD aren’t yet fully understood and require further research. So, before using cannabis for AMD, you should consult your doctor or an optometrist.
Lastly, cannabis smoke produces tar that contains carcinogens, which may contribute to AMD later in life. As such, if you plan on using cannabis for AMD, ingesting it instead of smoking may be the safer choice.
Uveitis causes inflammation inside the eye, specifically the uvea, which is the middle layer of your eye that includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It may manifest as redness, pain, blurred vision, and light sensitivity and lead to loss of vision if untreated.
The condition may be due to an autoimmune disease, infection, or injury, and treatment typically involves steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. To date, 2025 research indicates that endocannabinoids and certain synthetic cannabinoids produce beneficial results in animal models of uveitis. Additionally, 2005 preclinical research into the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cannabinoids in Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis showed that CBD may also help with uveitis.
In the study, rats with endotoxin-induced uveitis experienced reduced inflammation and less retinal cell death after doses of CBD. The cannabinoid also stopped the activation of proteins that contribute to inflammation and retinal cell damage. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm CBD’s effectiveness as an alternative treatment for uveitis in humans.
Smoking or vaping cannabis gets cannabinoids into your system fast – within a few minutes. This may provide quick relief for glaucoma and other eye issues. However, smoke from burning cannabis contains tar and other irritants, which can irritate your eyes and worsen existing eye issues. Vaping, on the other hand, produces fewer irritants, making it safer for quick eye relief.
But note that the effects of smoking or vaping cannabis typically fade within 1 to 3 hours, depending on the dose, potency, and your metabolism. As such, you may need to smoke or vape cannabis every couple of hours to maintain eye relief.
For fast effects without inhaling cannabis, sublingual cannabis tinctures are an excellent alternative. However, if you want longer-lasting relief, ingesting cannabis is the way to go.
Swallowing cannabis edibles may take 2 to 4 hours to take full effect. But once it hits, the effect can linger for 4 to 12 hours, depending on your metabolism and dose. This lasting effect reduces how often you have to use cannabis for eye relief throughout your day.
On the downside, dosing can be tricky when ingesting cannabis. Accidentally take too much, and you could spend the whole day being uncomfortably high. Take too little, and you may not experience your desired eye relief.
What about cannabis-infused eye drops? For now, we don’t recommend it. One study found that THC-infused drops cause lid swelling and burning in patients without providing any noticeable relief for eye issues. Although THC eye drops are still sold in Jamaica and the Caribbean, their safety and efficacy remain undetermined.
While cannabis offers several therapeutic benefits, its effects can vary between individuals – and even between cannabinoids. That’s why it’s crucial to consult a doctor or eye specialist before using it for glaucoma or other eye issues. Your doctor may advise against it if you take certain medications or have a condition that could interact poorly with cannabinoids.
Also, using cannabis for eye health may cause temporary side effects like eye redness, dryness, and pressure changes. Lastly, if cannabis is illegal in your state, or you take regular drug tests, using it for your eyes could get you into trouble. So, check local laws and workplace policies before trying it.
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