Rebound hyperemia | Fifth Ave Green House

Rebound hyperemia: what is it and how to avoid it?

Red eyes are a common side effect of marijuana and can be a telltale sign of recent drug use.

Consumers who want to keep their cannabis use discreet often resort to eye drops, especially those that reduce redness.

But the more people use marijuana and these eye drops, the more people complain of chronic redness.

The cause of the redness is not cannabis, but the treatment that people use to cure that redness. The eye drops themselves are to blame, as excessive use can cause a syndrome called “rebound hyperemia.”

Hyperemia (or hyperaemia) is an increased blood supply to an organ or area of ​​the body, which in itself is not problematic.

A typical example of hyperemia is during or after exercise, when blood vessels dilate to carry more oxygen throughout the body. Another common example is inflammation in the muscles or joints. However, other types of hyperemia can also be caused by drugs, including marijuana.

This article explains why marijuana users suffer from rebound hyperemia, why marijuana causes our eyes to become red in the first place, and how to minimize the risk of rebound hyperemia when treating red eyes.

Rebound congestion and marijuana

Marijuana use can cause red eyes because the active ingredients, including THC, act as vasodilators, relaxing and widening blood vessels.

The word comes from “vast,” the Latin word for “vessel,” and “dilate,” which means “to expand further” or “to open further.”

These dilated blood vessels become clearly visible in the whites of our eyes.

This redness of the eyes is a normal physiological response to some of the cannabinoids in cannabis and can be caused by any form of consumption (smoking, vaping, or ingesting). However, smoke in or around the eye can also dry the eye and cause additional redness, but this irritation is easier to treat and is different from hyperemia.

Eye drops can relieve redness in a number of ways, primarily by hydrating and moisturizing the eyes. However, eye drops specifically designed to relieve redness contain active ingredients called vasoconstrictors. Vasoconstrictors do the opposite of vasodilators. They are a class of medication that constricts blood vessels, reducing their size and making them less visible.

By reducing blood flow, the amount of oxygen that gets to your eyes is also reduced. In response, the eye may feel low on blood flow, and when the drug wears off, these vessels dilate again to restore blood flow. This is called the rebound effect, which causes chronic redness of the eyes and leads to a permanent course of treatment for many users.

How to treat and resolve rebound congestion

If you experience recurrence of congestion, the first step is to stop using redness-reducing drops such as Visine Redness Relief, Clear Eyes Max Redness Relief, Murine and Opcon.

Look at the ingredient list and avoid drops containing tetrahydrozoline and naphthomethazoline/naphazoline. If your drops contain any of these ingredients, put them back in the medicine cabinet for a moment before considering other types of drops.

There are three main categories of eye drops: anti-redness, anti-sensitization and artificial tears.

As we've seen, drops that relieve redness contain vasoconstrictors that provide quick relief but carry the risk of addiction. Allergy relief drops contain antihistamines that relieve allergy symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes. Artificial tears are sterile lubricants that contain electrolytes that help protect eye health. All of these drops also contain necessary preservatives that can irritate the eyes, so trial and error may be required.

In case of any eye irritation, over-the-counter artificial tears should be used as standard eye drops.

Dust, pollen, dryness, smoke or other irritants are the most common causes of redness, which can usually be relieved by simply rinsing the affected eye with a moisturizing solution to flush out the irritation. Artificial tears do not constrict the blood vessels dilated by marijuana, but may reduce redness due to related causes such as smoke or dryness.

Some people find it helpful to place cold compresses or towels on their eyes

can relieve symptoms. The idea is similar to putting an ice pack on a swollen muscle. Ice is too cold to safely use on the eyes, but a cold compress can reduce swelling in the blood vessels and temporarily relieve pain and discomfort.

If the red eyes are caused by dryness, you can avoid smoking and switch to vaping, which causes less dryness, or try a CBD/THC tincture or edibles to prevent it. You may also find a humidifier for dry air can help prevent red eyes.

After a few days without vasoconstrictor drops, the symptoms of rebound hyperemia usually subside, but in rare extreme cases it may take longer.

Diploma

Although this is a purely cosmetic problem (meaning there are no serious health risks associated with the condition), chronic red eyes can be associated with the social stigma of drug use, fatigue, or another illness and can attract unwanted attention.

Fortunately, most cases of rebound hyperemia resolve within a few days without the use of vasoconstrictors.

However, red eyes can sometimes be a sign of a more serious eye condition, such as glaucoma, dry eyes, conjunctivitis, or uveitis. Conditions such as lupus and Sjögren's syndrome can also cause red eyes.

If the eyes have not returned to normal after a week or if other symptoms occur, including complete redness of the eye, redness of only one eye, swelling, pain, or vision problems, you should see an eye doctor immediately, as these symptoms may indicate an infection or other condition.

Before using eye drops, try to find out the cause of the problem. If your eyes are often red or the redness persists even after you stop using vasoconstrictor eye drops, you should make an appointment for an eye examination with your ophthalmologist.

questions and answers

How long does rebound hyperemia last?

In most cases, reoccurrence of congestion will only take a few days after you stop using contractile eye drops. In rare cases, it will take longer, but it should still go away on its own. If symptoms worsen or do not improve after a week, you should see an eye doctor to check that the condition is not caused by something more serious.

How do you treat renewed redness?

If redness returns, it can be treated by not using vasoconstrictor drops (usually tetrahydrozoline or naphthomethazoline). The blood vessels in the eye will re-regulate without medication, so redness is bound to last for a few days. However, this redness can be treated with over-the-counter artificial tears and cold compresses for the eye.

What is an eye rebound?

A rebound or “rebound effect” occurs when blood vessels respond to a drug-induced contraction by forcibly dilating in the absence of the drug. The same phenomenon is observed with nasal decongestants.

Why does Visine make my eyes redder?

Redness relief drops contain active ingredients called vasoconstrictors that constrict unsightly veins in the eye. However, restricting blood flow also means restricting the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the eyes. Therefore, long-term or continuous use of these constricting medications can cause blood vessels to respond by expanding beyond their normal size when the medication is not present, resulting in chronic red eyes and a cycle of treatment and response.

Which specific active ingredients in redness relief drops cause rebound hyperemia?

Tetrahydrozoline and naphthomethazoline/naphazoline.

Are there any long-term consequences or risks associated with rebound hyperemia?

It may take several days (sometimes longer) for this effect to gradually disappear.

What are the long-term risks of using vasoconstrictor eye drops?

These eye drops are designed for a very short period of use. One to two days maximum. They are not intended for daily use. If these eye drops are used for a longer period of time, the blood vessels can dilate permanently.