Red eyes? Here’s why it happens when you smoke weed

One of the most defining aspects of a marijuana high is those bright red eyes. Although you put on perfume, wash your hands, and keep your heart open to look as normal and sober as possible, red eyes can easily break your camouflage. Fortunately, they’re temporary and painless – they just make you look high as hell. Why is this happening?

Surprisingly, weed eyes have very little to do with smoking, even though we usually associate them with it. Weed eyes aren’t just found when smoking weed; they occur with vaping and even with edibles when there are no irritants such as fire or smoke to be combated. This physical reaction occurs when your blood pressure drops and your heart rate increases, all of which is due to the THC in your system.

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When your blood pressure drops, your blood vessels and capillaries, including those in your eyes, expand. This enlargement increases blood flow, colors your eyes red, and lowers intraocular pressure. Because of this, some experts believe that marijuana could be a viable treatment for glaucoma.

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Knowing that it’s all about blood pressure, will your eyes turn red regardless of which method of ingestion? The answer depends on the potency and amount of THC consumed, as well as your individual sensitivities. For example, some people are more sensitive to smoking and as a result, joints can make their eyes red. There are also people who may be allergic to smoking or even to cannabis, with these types of symptoms being more common.

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Bloodshot eyes depend on many factors and are somewhat difficult to prevent. If you want to avoid them, sticking to strains with lower THC levels might be the right decision. If your eyes are bloodshot, you can try drinking some water, using eye drops, and waiting an hour or two for the effects to wear off.

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Logic goes that the redder your eyes, the more your blood pressure drops and the stronger the THC. In other words, bright red eyes are usually a pretty good indicator of someone who is super high. Even if the smell can be masked and the user is a seasoned cannabis user who knows how to deal with a high, the eyes don’t lie.