Adverse Ocular Impact and Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Narrative Review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of literature without systematic methodology
PubMed 39629058 · doi:10.2147/OPTH.S501494
What was done
This narrative review synthesized current literature on the adverse ocular effects and potential therapeutic applications of cannabis and cannabinoids in clinical and non-clinical settings.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data. It documents adverse effects including eyelid tremor, ptosis, decreased corneal endothelial cell density, dry eyes, red eyes, neuro-retinal dysfunction, and transient impairments in contrast sensitivity, depth perception, night vision, and dynamic visual acuity. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol reduces intraocular pressure transiently, but evidence remains insufficient to support its use for glaucoma. Cannabinoids are not a first-line treatment for any ocular condition, though preliminary interest exists for treatment-refractory blepharospasm, dry eye disease, and pendular nystagmus in multiple sclerosis.
Why it matters
This review highlights that cannabinoids lack sufficient evidence to serve as glaucoma treatments despite popular perceptions, while carrying measurable ocular surface, visual, and neuro-retinal side effects.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search protocol, quality assessment of included studies, and quantitative synthesis. The abstract provides no specific study sample sizes, dosages, or durations of effect.