Much like being caught with a fit of the giggles, or having the munchies, then people know that those with very red eyes have normally been enjoying a smoke of cannabis. Whilst most people think that the cause of the red eyes is that they are being irritated by the smoke, this isn’t true. You see the same effect on people who have been eating edibles or using a dry herb vaporizer which doesn’t produce the same smoke. So, what is really going on, we look?
So, What Does Cause it?
The red-eye effect is as a result of the Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC that is in cannabis products. The THC has the effect of reducing the body’s blood pressure. This is why you can sometimes get a side effect of an increased heart rate; this is similar to having done some exercise or having had sex. Lower blood pressure in the body encourages blood vessels to dilate and increase in size. This is so that they can transport more blood around the body to account for the lower pressure. The whites of your eyes are filled with literally thousands of capillaries, these minute blood vessels also dilate which increases their blood flow. The side effect of this is that they become more visible particularly compared with the normal white of your eyes, hence your eyes turn red.
Is This a Problem?
This isn’t harmful in the slightest. In fact, the reduction in blood pressure, particularly in the eyes is the main reason that doctors are prescribing cannabis for patients that are suffering from glaucoma. Glaucoma is caused by an increase in the intraocular pressure in the eyes. Therefore, the use of THC has become a key weapon in the battle against glaucoma. Studies have shown that high THC cannabis can reduce the pressure in the eyes between 25-30%. It is important to know that THC doesn’t have a permanent effect, or cure glaucoma. What it does do though is allow sufferers to be able to lead and normal and productive life.
Why Do My Eyes Go Redder Than My Friends?
Sometimes you might wonder why your eyes seem to go redder than your friends. What you should understand is that the dilation effect is dependent on several different factors. This includes your age, gender, weight, fitness, and many other physical aspects of your body. For example, if you regularly suffer from slightly higher than normal blood pressure then you might find that you don’t get red-eye unless you consume a variety of cannabis that is particularly high in THC. The other thing to bear in mind is that there is a huge variety in the different types of cannabis produced and the amount of THC in it, so if you are using different types, they might have different effects. Fortunately, one of the best ways to prevent or remove red-eye is to use some eye drops. These help to lubricate the eyes and constrict those capillaries again so the red-eye is gone.
