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  • Does cannabidiol oil lower or raise eye pressure?


    Question:

    Does cannabidiol oil lower or raise eye pressure? I have read both. If I am taking Lumigan for glaucoma already, will CBD oil hurt or help me? I want to take CBD for stress and anxiety, but not at the expense of my eyes.


    Answer:

    UPDATE: A study released in late 2018 shows CBD may raise intraocular pressure and make glacuoma worse. The original answer continues, below.

    Oct. 23, 2017:

    We’ve known since the 1970s that smoking marijuana lowers intraocular pressure. The effect is relatively short-acting and not as potent as other FDA-approved pressure- lowering medications. Most of the studies since that time have focused on the cannabinoid, ∆-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC), which does lower intraocular pressure, but is the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil has been less rigorously studied, and most of that data is in animal models.

    So, the best answer I can give you is that it is hard to say. I have not read anything to suggest that CBD oil will alter the effectiveness of Lumigan, but I don’t think it is unreasonable to try it. If you do find that the CBD oil is useful for stress and anxiety, then I would carefully follow you for several months to determine if usage is accompanied by deleterious effects on your intraocular pressure (or otherwise).


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