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marijuana for glaucoma: the truth about cannabis and eye disease

glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.

for years, patients with glaucoma have been prescribed marijuana to help lower their intraocular pressure.
glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy that can lead to blindness, and it is the leading cause of blindness in the u.s. in states where cannabis is legal for medical use, glaucoma is one of the qualifying conditions for which the drug may be prescribed.
glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. it is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. early detection and treatment of glaucoma is essential to preserving vision.
there are often no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. as it progresses, symptoms may include eye pain, blurred vision, halos around lights, seeing coloured dots or rainbows around lights, difficulty seeing at night and sudden loss of vision.
the cannabinoids in cannabis reduce the production of fluid in the eye, which decreases the pressure on the optic nerve. marijuana is said to stimulate the release of toxins from the cells in the eye, thereby helping to improve vision.
marijuana has anti-inflammatory properties, which is thought to also help to reduce the damage caused by glaucoma.
while marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the pressure in the eye caused by glaucoma, there are many other factors to consider when it comes to marijuana and glaucoma.
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it may also have some side effects, such as dry mouth, drowsiness and difficulty with concentration.

cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in the u.s. and according to  glaucoma today , cannabis is also the most commonly used substance in glaucoma therapy.

the freshtoast.com , a u.s. lifestyle site that contributes lifestyle content and, with their partnership with 600,000 physicians via skipta, medical marijuana information to the growthop.

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