Can Weed Affect your Vision?

 As a consumer of cannabis, you will probably know that your eye becomes red after you smoke or vaporize weed. Nonetheless, while having a red eye may be worrying for some people, science shows that it has several benefits to the eye.

According to health experts, smoking cannabis affects different parts of the body. Depending on the rate of consumption it may influence your vision in the long run. Nonetheless, although there is a need for more studies on how cannabis affects vision, what we know for now is that weed has a few key effects on the eyes.

A noticeable effect of weed on the eye is red eyes. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound in marijuana can lower blood pressure, therefore permitting the blood vessels to dilate and increase blood flow in the entire body. This expands the blood vessels in the eyes causing redness or bloodshot eyes.

Researchers are still to discover whether marijuana can impact peripheral vision, changing eye pressure, and visual processing. Cannabis use may potentially affect these key areas in the eye.

Cannabis offers a lot of positive effects on the eyes. It is potentially useful for glaucoma patients. Glaucoma is a disease that influences the optic nerve and causes high eye pressure. Although cannabis may reduce eye pressure, it does this temporarily. Nonetheless, most doctors are still skeptical about prescribing cannabis for glaucoma due to its ability to distort people’s ability to concentrate, decision making, and other tasks that need focus.

What cause red eyes
When you consume cannabis in the form of joint or vaporizers, your blood pressure is reduced, and the redness of your eyes depends on the amount of THC consumed.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive cannabinoid in the plant, delivers all the intoxicating effects associated with smoking cannabis. Higher concentrations of THC in cannabis products pave the way for stronger effects and when you consume such products your eyes become redder.

Therefore, when you have red eyes, consider it as a sign that your cannabis has a high cannabinoid content. This means that if your eyes are noticeably bloodshot after cannabis consumption, then it’s a sign that you've consumed a very potent weed.

Individuals shouldn’t be concerned about the redness of their eyes after consuming cannabis. There are no reports which suggest that redness of the eye can affect your vision in any way. Cannabis-induced eye redness usually lasts from several minutes to hours depending on the amount of cannabis consumed. You can also get rid of red eyes by using the right tools at your disposal.

Some examples of some tools include eye drops (or some sunglasses). Search for eye drops that are meant for people with red eyes. Several other methods can be used to prevent cannabis-induced bloodshot eyes. This includes remaining hydrated, cleansing your face and eyelids with cold water, or simply avoid consuming high THC cannabis products.

Research on cannabis and vision
According to a new French study, regular cannabis consumption may cause a limited degree of vision impairment. The study involved 52 participants of which 28 of them regularly consumed cannabis at least seven times a week. According to the study, those who consume marijuana regularly experienced a slight delay in their RGC signaling which could lead to vision impairment.

Nonetheless, this is only a preliminary study and there is still a need for in-depth research to prove its validity.