If you’re new to the world of cannabis, you might be wondering why your eyes get red and bloodshot after smoking or vaping. At first glance, it looks like you’re on the edge of tears or that you are hurting yourself, but getting “red eyes” is actually totally normal.
Some people say that burning the flower is the reason for the phenomenon because the smoke can potentially cause eye irritation. While this makes sense, this isn’t the actual explanation behind it. This begs the question, why does weed make your eyes red?
Why Does Weed Make Your Eyes Red? Here’s Why
You get red eyes, also referred to as “high eyes,” after smoking cannabis because THC dilates capillaries in the eyes allowing more oxygenated blood to flow through them making them appear redder than normal. As you consume more THC, your blood pressure and heart rate will increase and your ocular blood vessels will expand. Cannabinoids found in cannabis have been used as an effective treatment for those with glaucoma because of its known ability to dilate blood vessels.
Smoke is not involved in this cannabis reaction, so it can occur without smoke, such as by eating edibles. Some people have an allergic response to bud or smoke in general, which could make their eyes more sensitive to bright light and cause redness.
How To Get Rid of Red Eyes
Red eyes are sure to be a side effect of smoking cannabis. However, there are a few ways that you can keep them at bay while still enjoying the high.
Concentrate on getting plenty of sleep and keeping hydrated. Supplementing high eyes with eye drops may help because some brands are geared towards reduced eye redness. If nothing else works to reduce the redness, then just relax and let it run its course. This is a normal experience, so there is no reason to stress about it. If you don’t want to be out in public with red eyes, you should ultimately plan smoke sessions for times when you’ll be in private.
Now you never need to ask, “Why does weed make your eyes red?” again. Equipped with information about red eyes and how to manage them, please use our store finder to find a Terrapin Care Station dispensary with Double Bear products near you.