Cannabis To Treat Glaucoma has all kinds of new scientific breakthroughs. The optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes injured in glaucoma, a frequent eye condition. Obstruction leads to the majority of cases in the eye’s drainage system, which leads to a buildup of pressure. This rise in pressure subsequently damages the nerve that leads the eye to the brain. The symptoms of glaucoma include nausea, vomiting, headache, red eyes, soreness around the eyes, seeing circles around lights, and impaired vision, among other symptoms of severe eye pain. The treatment of glaucoma commonly starts with eye drops prescribed by the eye specialist. The oral medication starts if the result is not satisfactory, then with eye drops. The medication is generally a carbonic anhydrase
inhibitor. Frequent urination, numbness in the fingers and toes, sadness, stomach trouble, and kidney stones are a few potential adverse effects. Other treatments include laser therapy, filtering surgery, drainage tubes, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). After the treatments are done, a regular check-up is required. If glaucoma is left untreated, it may lead to blindness. IOP intraocular pressure) is efficiently reduced by cannabinoids, which also have neuroprotective effects. They might therefore be helpful in the management of glaucoma.
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Now, let’s get into the use of cannabis to treat glaucoma!
Types Of Glaucoma
There are three types of glaucoma:
- Open-angle (chronic) glaucoma: Although open-angle glaucoma poses a threat to vision, it is a slow or non-progressive disease for which there are both medication and surgical treatments.
- Closed angle (acute) glaucoma: The normal duration of closed-angle glaucoma, an acute medical illness with abrupt onset, is a few hours to a few days. Because of the raised intraocular pressures, it may result in pain and/or nausea.
- Secondary glaucoma: When a known source raises eye pressure, causing optic nerve injury and visual loss, secondary glaucoma develops. This type of glaucoma can be either closed- or open-angle.
Cannabis; Its Components And Their Usage
Marijuana, also known as weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and many more colloquial names for dried Cannabis sativa flowers, is a greenish-gray combination. After alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is the addictive substance that is used most frequently. The majority of young people use it. Over 11.8 million young adults used marijuana in the year before 2018. Dronabinol (Marinol®) and nabilone (Cesamet®), two THC-based medications prescribed in pill form for the treatment of nausea in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy and to stimulate appetite in patients with wasting syndrome due to AIDS, have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The four major compounds of marijuana are
- D-9-THC
- CBD
- D-8-THC
- Cannabinol
When administered orally, intravenously, or through inhalation, cannabinoids can lower intraocular pressure (IOP) just as effectively as the majority of commonly used glaucoma medications. However, when directly applied to the eye, cannabinoids do not have the same effect. THC and synthetic cannabinoids taken orally, marijuana consumed orally, and intravenous injections of a number of natural cannabinoids have all been found to considerably lower IOP in glaucoma patients as well as in healthy persons with normal IOP. A single dose of marijuana or a cannabinoid in the majority of trials kept this effect for three to four hours.
The patient would need to consume between 18 and 20 mg of THC six to eight times daily, every day, in order to noticeably lower eye pressure and keep it down. Such a massive amount of cannabis would have a profound impact on one’s mood, mental clarity, and lung health (if smoked). The person would be unable to drive, use machinery, or perform many other daily tasks. Not to mention the daily expenses associated with smoking marijuana every three to four hours. The majority of patients couldn’t afford this.
History Of Cannabis
In 1974, the medical marijuana movement got underway. The haloes around lights that 26-year-old Robert Randall, who has advanced, poorly managed glaucoma, experienced due to his high IOP, vanished after he smoked marijuana. In the end, he was charged with federal crimes for cultivating marijuana to treat his symptoms. Still, he won a significant legal battle by convincing the federal judge that his
marijuana use was necessary for his medical condition. Beginning with California in 1996, other states have approved marijuana for medical use during the past 20 years. Currently, 29 states and Washington, DC permit the use of the medicine to treat illness, and more states present legislation every year. Bipartisan legislation to legalize medical marijuana is presented yearly at the federal level. It is still categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and no known acceptable use in medical care.
Effects Of Cannabis On Glaucoma Patients
Marijuana has gained increased attention and discussion as a potential treatment for numerous health ailments. It has been legal for medical or recreational use in more than 20 U.S. states and Canada. A noticeable drop in intraocular pressure was observed for three to four hours after marijuana smoking or taking THC as a tablet or injection.
But take into account this: after drinking, alcohol also decreases eye pressure for around an hour. However, no doctor would advocate drinking alcohol every hour to treat glaucoma. Numerous more efficient treatments don’t have alcohol’s adverse effects.
THC eye drops caused stinging and irritation and did not reduce eye pressure. There was no decrease in intraocular pressure with a sublingual THC compound (put in the mouth under the tongue). In a different trial, THC-containing tablets or cigarettes were made available to glaucoma patients. All of them requested to discontinue within nine months owing to adverse effects.
Mechanism Of Action Of Cannabis
There have been a few suggested modes of action for marijuana, including central versus peripheral, sympathetic versus parasympathetic, aqueous decreases versus increased outflow, and a potential vascular component. THC and CBD stimulate the endocannabinoid system in humans, which has receptors. Arachydonoylethanolamine and arachydonoylglycerol are two naturally occurring cannabinoid receptor ligands that mirror the actions of THC and CBD in the body. The endocannabinoid system in the eye has receptors 1 and 2 in the anterior segment (pigment epithelium and ciliary body), trabecular meshwork, Schlemm’s canal), and the retina and trabecular meshwork. The endocannabinoid system is influenced by both natural and synthetic cannabinoids to produce aqueous production, increase outflow, and offer neuroprotection. Another important effect of cannabis is neuroprotection. Excessive glutamate contributes to the death of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma and initiates the excitatory cascade. As a result, glutamate action antagonists have a neuroprotective effect. When the cannabinoid receptor one is activated, neither the excitatory glutamate nor the inhibitory GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) transmitters are released. Endocannabinoids prevent endothelin, which results in hypotension. Compared to current glaucoma treatments, there is currently insufficient scientific data to justify its use. A novel approach to treating glaucoma, IOP management, and neuroprotection is provided by the interaction of synthetic and natural compounds with the endocannabinoid.
Cannabinoids may prove to be a complete treatment in the future for reducing IOP, maintaining microcirculation, preventing apoptosis, and reducing free radical activity.
Best Strain To Treat Glaucoma
Lazy Bee Genetics, a Washington state grower that practices environmentally responsible cannabis production, created this electric breed. Tesla Tower is a hybrid of Snowcap with trichomes and Lazy Bee’s WiFi (also known as White Fire OG). This potent, pepper-scented strain swaps pain, weariness, and stress for an upbeat mood while lowering intraocular pressure on the eye.
Cannabis VS Traditional Treatment
Several medication classes are successful in treating glaucoma. The effectiveness of recent glaucoma treatments has also been demonstrated for up to eight hours (Theresa M. Cooney, M.D.). Due to the lack of studies examining how marijuana reacts to conventional treatment approaches, it is not advised to combine medication with marijuana. The adverse effects of these conventional medical treatments are often known to be much less severe than those associated with heavy marijuana use. Since not all marijuana is made equal and is not FDA-approved, which is a severe health risk, the effects of marijuana can also vary. More than 400 distinct compounds are used, and preparation potencies vary. 60 to 65 percent of persons, glaucomatous or not, can have a drop in IOP of 25 percent when using marijuana. It is unclear exactly what part of the medicine is responsible for this. The duration of IOP reduction, between 3 and 3.5 hours, is the issue. Effective glaucoma treatment necessitates constant IOP control, which is likely to cause compliance problems.
Ways To Use Cannabis
Smoked or eaten marijuana, THC, and synthetic cannabinoids in pill form, and intravenous injections of several natural cannabinoids have all been shown to reduce IOP significantly in both glaucoma patients and healthy adults with normal IOP.
Smoked Or Eaten
Since glaucoma must be managed around the clock, smoking marijuana six to eight times a day would be necessary to get a continuously lower IOP.
THC Eye Drops
THC is lipophilic, so it is insoluble in water. One trial employed an oil-based administration strategy, but there were two drawbacks: it had no effect on decreasing IOP and was extremely irritating to the eyes.
Scientific Evidence
Future studies might identify isolated cannabinoids other than THC that have therapeutic benefits or create synthetic cannabinoid analogs that last longer and cause fewer negative effects. The development of medicines that can shield or save the optic nerve from harm or that can recover its blood supply represents the most promising area of glaucoma research, nonetheless. There is some indication that HU-211, a synthetic cannabinoid-like substance, protects nerves even when it doesn’t lower IOP. Although HU-211 shares many chemical properties with THC, it is not found in marijuana plants and does not attach to the cellular receptor that THC activates in brain cells. Without a doubt, marijuana-based medications can be
utilized to reduce IOP. But like a number of other glaucoma treatments that have lost favor, they have more side effects than advantages. This was not the case in the 1970s when the first studies on marijuana’s effects on IOP were published. At that time, there were not many medications available to treat the disease, all of which had unfavorable side effects. Since then, more efficient pharmaceuticals with fewer side effects have taken their place. That appears to be the most likely outcome for marijuana-based glaucoma treatments as well. Future studies might identify isolated cannabinoids other than THC that have therapeutic benefits or create synthetic cannabinoid analogs that last longer and cause fewer negative effects. The development of medicines that can shield or save the optic nerve from harm or that can recover its blood supply represents the most promising area of glaucoma research, nonetheless. There is some indication that HU-211, a synthetic cannabinoid-like substance, protects nerves even when it doesn’t lower IOP. Although HU-211 shares many chemical properties with THC, it is not found in marijuana plants and does not attach to the cellular receptor that THC activates in brain cells. Without a doubt, marijuana-based medications can be utilized to reduce IOP. But like a number of other glaucoma treatments that have lost favor, they have more side effects than advantages. This was not the case in the 1970s when the first studies on marijuana’s effects on IOP were published. At that time, there were not many medications available to treat the disease, all of which had unfavorable side effects. Since then, more efficient pharmaceuticals with fewer side effects have taken their place. That appears to be the most likely outcome for marijuana-based glaucoma treatments as well.
Adverse Effects Of Cannabis
Some people, especially the elderly, find marijuana’s psychological effects unbearable, lowering blood pressure. Several participants in these investigations also mentioned that after ingesting marijuana, their hearts hammered, and they felt uncomfortable. For those at risk for heart disease and stroke, all of these effects may be troublesome. Additionally, lowering blood pressure may restrict blood flow to the optic nerve, negating the advantages of lowering IOP. Finally, due to their short duration of action, marijuana-based medications must be taken up to eight times per day, which is unlikely for the majority of patients to do. In contrast, other medications reduce IOP just as effectively and only require one or two daily doses. Although marijuana lowers IOP, glaucoma patients who enquire about using it should be informed that there are many drawbacks to doing so, including its short duration of action, unpredictable strength, adverse effects, ability to develop tolerance, and potential health hazards, especially when smoked. Modern glaucoma treatments have longer durations of action, fewer side effects, and more consistent IOP lowering than marijuana. With long-term disease monitoring, patients should be encouraged to continue following the indicated course of treatment.
Conclusion Of Cannabis To Treat Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that can lead to serious consequences like blindness. The treatment of glaucoma includes eye drops, oral medication, and lastly, surgery. With the traditional treatment, it was found that marijuana also helps to reduce the IOP in the eye, which is the root of the disease. But its effect lasts for only 3-4days while it is necessary to maintain low pressure on the eye for 24 hours. Due to the adverse effects of marijuana, it is not recommended by an ophthalmologist. The world’s leading organization of eye doctors and surgeons does not support cannabis or any of its derivatives as a glaucoma treatment. Avoid using marijuana as self-medication for glaucoma. If you don’t have dependable, efficient glaucoma therapy, you risk losing your vision.
Thank you for reading about Cannabis To Treat Glaucoma. We have many more articles that explain how cannabis can help with many illnesses written by medical doctors. Check those out in our blog section.
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