Glaucoma is an eye disease in which increased fluid pressure damages the ophthalmic nerve, which ultimately leads to vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma is age-related and most common among elderly people, affecting almost 1 % of people over 60 years and more than 9 % of people over 80 years.
Intraocular pressure is a symptom and a risk factor for glaucoma; it is believed that it plays an important role in the deterioration of the ophthalmic nerve condition. Glaucoma is caused by high intraocular pressure, and most glaucoma treatments are aimed at reducing it.
Ophthalmologists in the state of Arizona concluded that marijuana smoking is perhaps the easiest and the most natural way to treat glaucoma.
Results of studies conducted in the 1970s showed that the use of marijuana could reduce intraocular pressure. To determine the effectiveness of the use of marijuana or drugs manufactured of it for the treatment of glaucoma, the US National Eye Institute conducted scientific studies from 1978 to 1984. It was demonstrated that some marijuana derivatives could help reduce intraocular pressure when administered orally, intravenously, or by smoking, but not when applied topically to the eye.
How does marijuana smoking help with glaucoma treatment? The answer is simple: there are cannabinoids in the plant, special substances that affect myocardial contraction. Thus, CBD – cannabidiol has therapeutic potential in combination with another substance tetrahydrocannabinol. It is their combination that relieves pain, and nausea and lowers arterial pressure, as well as eyeball pressure.