What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the eye's optic nerve when fluid builds up around the front part of the eye, creating high pressure.
Some of the most common symptoms associated with this condition are:
Blind spots
Blurred vision
Halos around lights
Eye pain
Redness of the eyes
Nausea
Headaches
Vomiting
Vision disturbances
The most common form of glaucoma is open-angle, and it accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, 3 million Americans are currently living with glaucoma and only 50% of these individuals are aware that they have this condition.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma?
Glaucoma occurs when your optic nerve becomes damaged in one way or another, often resulting in partial or total blindness. Currently, the only way to control glaucoma and prevent vision loss is to lower your IOP levels. Your ophthalmologist can treat glaucoma with medication, such as prescription eye drops, or surgery. This depends on the type of glaucoma and the severity of it.
The optic nerve damage that causes glaucoma is usually due to intraocular pressure. Medical marijuana effectively reduces intraocular pressure, and therefore is an effective treatment to alleviate the symptoms of glaucoma.
Marijuana is effective at reducing intraocular pressure, but it only does so for a short period of time. There are now products that can provide all of the medicinal benefits of the drug without the associated ‘high’. These products make use of the compound found in marijuana known as CBD, which isn’t psychoactive. This way, without the “high”, medical marijuana can be used without interfering with your daily activities.
The effects of a single-dose may be short-lived, but this does not delegitimize marijuana’s effectiveness at improving the quality of life for patients with glaucoma. Medical marijuana provides a nearly instant reduction in intraocular pressure and can provide relief from other symptoms of the disease. These include but are not limited to nausea, pain, and headaches.
If you or someone you love suffers from glaucoma, you do qualify for medical marijuana treatment. Call us today (888) 633-5808 to learn more and to book your appointment!
Kommentit