Cannabidiol is often mentioned as a substance that might have a positive impact on various ailments. We rarely hear that it causes adverse effects. However, in the case of CBD oil in glaucoma, this just might be the case.
Given how sensitive the eyes are, it makes sense that mixing CBD oil and glaucoma may lead to some issues. In the end, the mucous membrane is very sensitive, and you have to pay attention to what you’re putting on it. I
n this article, we will talk about the potential interactions between CBD oil and glaucoma. Check it out!
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an eye condition that occurs due to damage to the optic nerve. It is also caused by high intraocular pressure. Most patients will suffer from open-angle glaucoma, which is a chronic, progressive condition that can seriously affect a person’s life. One of the recent theories is that you can use CBD oil for glaucoma.
According to limited data, medicinal hemp might work by reducing intraocular pressure. However, this is most likely due to THC, not CBD.
The biggest issue with this is that the benefit doesn’t last long. As such, it cannot be regarded as a valid medical treatment. Even if you manage to lower the pressure, the effect will be short, and then, you would need to use an additional substance.
As an alternative, you might consider using more THC, but given that this is a psychedelic substance, it might cause unpredictable results.
How does CBD work?
CBD or cannabidiol is one of the numerous substances that can be found in the hemp plant. It is believed that this chemical compound may have various positive effects on the body.
According to experts, it is able to interact with the endocannabinoid system. By stimulating its receptors, it is able to harmonize processes such as regeneration, protection, mood, sleep, focus, stress, and many other things.
Depending on the method of administration, you can expect different potential benefits from CBD oil. People use this substance topically or sublingually. When used sublingually, the product will reach your bloodstream, thus regulating internal processes such as sleep, mood, focus, etc. However, when you use it on your skin, it will primarily affect surface tissue.
When talking about CBD oil and glaucoma, we make presumptions based on the traditional eye drops and how they impact our bodies. Although these substances are primarily meant to affect the eye’s mucous membrane, they might also reach your bloodstream.
This makes it harder to determine what kind of impact they’ll have on your body. If CBD can reach the bloodstream then, the number of potential benefits drastically increases.
How does CBD impact glaucoma?
Most medical professionals will tell you that CBD products are not suitable for the treatment of glaucoma. While this substance carries numerous beneficial properties, we need to consider the sensitivity of the mucous membrane.
Even if something is seemingly good for the eyes, it might still lead to adverse effects. As a result, a doctor will not prescribe medicinal hemp for the treatment of this condition.
The thing about glaucoma is that it’s a condition that needs to be monitored and managed the whole day long. The main issue with CBD products is that they don’t provide around-the-clock protection.
They might work for several hours, but that’s about that. Furthermore, it can be really hard to determine how long a particular item will last.
One of the reasons for this is the lack of regulation and monitoring, making it harder to determine ingredients and potential impact. Of course, there is also not enough research that would help us answer all our questions.
As we’ve already mentioned, there is also an issue of THC. While there isn’t much of this substance within medicinal hemp products, even small quantities might cause irritation.
Medicinal marijuana is even worse in that regard, as it might have a high THC content. We also need to consider potential interactions between other glaucoma drugs that you might be using, as well as medicinal hemp.
Potential side effects of CBD oil and glaucoma
We have much more data on medicinal marijuana than we have on CBD. Only recently have the scientists started exploring the potential use of cannabidiol for this ailment.
According to limited data, it seems that this chemical compound can reduce the pressure from 60 to 65 percent. The potential pressure reduction works the same for people with or without glaucoma.
Unfortunately, if you do decide to use CBD oil for glaucoma, you would be forced to use it all the time. This means putting the substance several times a day for an unforeseeable period of time.
Needless to say, this can completely disrupt your daily routine, and it might also impact your work. Furthermore, using CBD oil can be quite messy because of its texture.
In terms of side effects, we know that CBD oil can cause mild irritation when administered to the skin. It can cause rash, redness, and itchiness. The issues are even worse if you place it in your eyes. Potential side effects of CBD oil for glaucoma include:
- Reduces production of tears
- Makes you sensitive to light
- Dropping eyelid
- Discharge from the eyes
- Shaking eyes
- Uncontrolled twitching
Although medicinal hemp is generally regarded as a safe substance when ingested, and it usually causes minor issues, we cannot neglect all the potential problems that it might cause when used for glaucoma and other eye ailments.
The best treatment for glaucoma
Although CBD and THC might have some potential for treating this issue, they are far from ideal. When talking about CBD, in particular, scientists have even discovered that this substance may have a negative impact on the eyes.
According to a certain study, cannabidiol oil has been shown to increase intraocular pressure by 18 percent. Keep in mind that this study was performed on rats, so it doesn’t show a clear picture.
Anyway, you should still continue with the traditional glaucoma treatment no matter what. Make sure to follow the doctor’s instructions and avoid using any substances that might irritate your eyes or lead to some even more severe issues.