Cataracts and Cannabis: What’s the Connection?

“Studies have shown that THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, helps lower intraocular pressure in the eye for a period of time. Dr. Dotson conducted various studies in which one study showed that intraocular pressure was decreased by up to 40% with cannabis as a drug. “- – Healing of the Eye Wellness Center

Almost affect 25 million AmericansCataracts cloud the eye, impair vision, dull colors, and if left untreated, can cause blindness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology While Americans have treatment options for cataract disease, many don’t understand that something is wrong with their eyes until it’s too late. Cataracts are slightly more common in women than men and are a growing problem that affects eyesight and quality of life.

Photo by Flickr user Ken Teegardin

Symptoms of cataracts include:

• Fading color
• Blurred vision
• Problems with “bright” lights
• Bad night vision
• Double vision

The Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center explains that while age is the leading cause of cataract-related problems, diseases like diabetes, drugs like steroids can increase the risk of developing cataracts later in life.

More Americans than ever are at risk of cataract-related eye diseases
According to the National Eye Institute“The risk of cataract increases with each decade of life beyond the age of 40. By 75, half of white Americans have cataract disease.”

RELATED: The Medicinal Effects Cannabis Can Have On Our Eyes and Vision

By 2050 the National Eye Institute believes the number of cataracts will double from 24.4 million adults to 50 million adults with cataract problems. The data suggests that Hispanic Americans are most at risk of a rapid rise.

“Most cataracts are age-related – they appear due to normal changes in your eyes as you get older. But you can get cataracts for other reasons – for example, after an eye injury or after surgery for another eye problem (like glaucoma). “((National Eye Institute)

Photo by Flickr user Rob

Turn to cannabis

As the scars change, more and more adults are turning to the medical benefits of CBD and marijuana to treat eye conditions like cataracts. Harvard Healths Blog shows that many Americans are looking for different approaches to pain and age-related diseases. With 94% of Americans recently polled Many support legal access to marijuana and seek medicine – more than ever before. Indeed, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) cites that cannabis use among adults aged 65 and over increased steadily from 2.4% in 2015 to 4.2% in 2018.

RELATED: Glaucoma and Medical Marijuana: 5 Informative Facts

The American Academy of Ophthalmology While studies of marijuana and cataracts are limited, marijuana appears to have benefits in glaucoma and lower intraocular pressure when properly dosed.

The bottom line

Since few studies are available or queued on the effects of cannabis on eye health, it is a good idea to speak to your ophthalmologist if you are taking cannabis or CBD and find out if there are any risk factors. As the stigma surrounding marijuana continues to subside, many older Americans are looking for new treatments for old problems. Scientists will no doubt want to keep up with trends and create new avenues for drugs to heal the body.