• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Atlantic Medical Eye Care

3 Hospital Plaza, Suite 310
Old Bridge, NJ · 08857
732·607·0555
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Atlantic Medical Eye Care
    • Dr. Scharfman
    • Testimonials
  • Eye Conditions
    • Cataracts
    • Glaucoma
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Diabetes
    • Dry Eyes
  • Services
    • Cataract Surgery
    • Premium Lenses / IOLs
    • Glaucoma Surgery
    • Contact Lenses
    • Comprehensive Care
  • Blog
    • Latest Posts
    • Subscribe
  • Patient Portal
    • Login or Create Account
    • Patient Forms
    • COVID-19 Info
    • Free Cataract Guide
  • Contact Us
  • Directions

by  Dr. Robert Scharfman  Leave a Comment

Just How Good is Marijuana for Treating Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye condition characterized by increased pressure within the eye that causes gradual loss of sight.

Many people have heard that marijuana lowers eye pressure, so naturally they want to know whether they should use it to treat their glaucoma.

So what’s our verdict?

Is Marijuana Good for Treating Glaucoma?

Smoking or ingesting marijuana does lower the intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma… with two major caveats.

  1. Unfortunately, the relief provided by marijuana is of short duration, so patients would have to smoke it literally every 3 to 4 hours (6 to 8 times per day).
  2. Additionally, the composition and dosage is inconsistent, and therefore the benefit is not measurable or reliable.

For these reasons, neither the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) nor the American Glaucoma Society (AGS) supports marijuana as a treatment option for glaucoma.

Other Risks of Using Marijuana

The AAO and AGS also cite a few key health risks of the drug, which include:

  • increased heart rate
  • decreased blood pressure
  • risk of a compromise in blood flow to the optic nerve, which can cause blindness

The bottom line is that although marijuana can lower eye pressure, recommending this drug in any form for the treatment of glaucoma is ill-advised given its short duration of action and its adverse side effects. In addition, there is no clear evidence that using marijuana alters the course of glaucoma.

Better Treatment Options for Glaucoma

There are a number of treatments available for lowering eye pressure, including:

  • eye drop medication
  • laser treatment
  • eye surgery for glaucoma

All of these treatment options are approved and arguably much better options for treating glaucoma, as they do not come with any neurological side effects.

If you or a loved one in the central New Jersey area is suffering from glaucoma, contact Dr. Scharfman for consultation.

You might also like...

Rapid and Uncontrollable Eye Movement: Is it Nystagmus?
When Pupils in the Eye Don’t Work Properly
Eye Care After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery
Protecting Your Eyes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Filed Under: Specialty Eye Care

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Premium Lenses

FREE GUIDE

FREE GUIDE: 34 Questions You Must Ask Before You Have Cataract Surgery


Your email is safe

Eye Care Services

  • Cataract Surgery
  • Premium Lenses / IOLs
  • Glaucoma Surgery
  • Contact Lenses
  • Comprehensive Eye Care
Top Doctor 2019 - NJ Top Docs

From our Blog

  • Making the Most out of Your Cataract Surgery
  • What is a Corneal Ulcer? Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
  • What is a Chalazion? Mysterious Eye Condition Explained

Footer

Hours

Mon
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tue
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thu
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Fri
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Location

3 Hospital Plaza, Suite 310
Old Bridge, NJ · 08857
732-607-0555

Directions »

Need Help?

Contact Us »

About  |  Eye Conditions  |  Services  |  Patient Info  |  Subscribe  |  Contact  |  Privacy | Disclaimer  |  Site Map
Copyright © 2023 Atlantic Medical Eye Care. All rights reserved.
Web design by Bri the Web Guy