The connection between Glaucoma and Cannabis
Ever since the emergence of a field of research that links the consumption of cannabis to treat various medical conditions and diseases, there has been a considerable amount of advancements.
One particular condition that has shown positive development due to the consumption of cannabis is glaucoma.
Several researchers have conducted trials on patients suffering from glaucoma and have concluded that some of the traits contained within cannabis are capable of improving several symptoms of glaucoma.
Although there is still a long way to go before ensuring that cannabis is the answer to curing glaucoma, many positive developments are surfacing.
Let us talk briefly about glaucoma and recent developments during these few years.
What is Glaucoma?
Before understanding how cannabis is linked to a condition like glaucoma, it is important to understand this condition and get informed on what it is and what it entails.
Glaucoma is a well-known and common disease within the population, and it involves some particular nerves in your eyes being damaged, resulting in a prominent eye condition.
Looking into it in a bit more detail, the optic nerve that connects your eye to the brain becomes damaged when suffering from glaucoma, which is usually caused by fluid buildup in the front part of your eye, increasing the overall pressure within.
If not treated and diagnosed correctly, glaucoma can develop into a significantly problematic condition that can result in the eventual loss of vision.
Can Cannabis Treat Glaucoma?
A review on cannabis and glaucoma by some researchers belonging to Dalhousie University in 2019 displayed a significant amount of promising material that linked cannabis and glaucoma.
The conclusions drawn from this study indicated that regular and moderated cannabis consumption did indeed ease some of the symptoms associated with glaucoma, potentially opening a gateway of many possibilities, one of which being that cannabis can be the answer they were looking for.
As discussed previously, glaucoma is not one condition but an umbrella of different conditions that can cause optic nerve damage and weaken vision, possibly leading to blindness.
When treating glaucoma, the main goal is to reduce this IOP to minimize the risk of contracting this condition. Not only does this decrease the risk, but it also helps alleviate the risks associated with glaucoma.
There have been a considerable amount of animal trials that have been taking place recently, and most of them suggest that cannabis may be able to promote blood flow in the eyes, which can prevent any optical nerve damage, reducing the effects of glaucoma.
Wrap-up
Due to the nature of the medical condition, living with glaucoma can become progressively difficult as time passes.
To make matters worse, once nerve damage occurs due to this ailment, it is impossible to recover from it.
However, the good news is that extensive research has been happening, and researchers are rigorously working to find a solution. They feel like they might have found what they are looking for in the form of moderate consumption of cannabis.
