Cannabis for Glaucoma: Still Effective but Still Impractical After Decades of Research

This was a narrative review published in Current Opinion in Ophthalmology, summarizing the current evidence on cannabis and glaucoma in the context of expanding legal access. The author reviewed existing pharmacological evidence and clinical considerations.

Glaucoma remains one of the most commonly cited reasons for medical marijuana use, despite the medical community's longstanding concerns about its practical limitations. This review clearly articulates the paradox: cannabis lowers eye pressure but may simultaneously reduce the blood flow needed to protect the optic nerve, potentially negating the benefit.

Glaucoma was one of the original medical conditions that drove early marijuana legalization efforts. Decades later, the pharmacology supports that cannabis works for eye pressure, but the clinical reality is more complicated than the simple narrative suggests. Modern glaucoma treatments offer targeted pressure reduction without the systemic side effects cannabis produces.

This is a narrative review, not a systematic review. It reflects one author's interpretation of existing evidence. The review does not address newer cannabinoid formulations or delivery methods that might avoid systemic side effects, such as topical eye drops.