Con

The American Academy of Ophthalmology Complementary Therapy Task Force stated the following in its June 2013 report titled "Complementary Therapy Assessment: Marijuana in the Treatment of Glaucoma," available at one.aao.org and confirmed as current position on Apr. 7, 2014:

“Based on reviews by the National Eye Institute (NEI), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and on available scientific evidence, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Complementary Therapy Task Force finds no scientific evidence demonstrating increased benefit and/or diminished risk of marijuana use in the treatment of glaucoma compared with the wide variety of pharmaceutical agents now available…

Potentially serious side effects associated with smoking marijuana include an increased heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure. Studies of single-administration marijuana use have shown a lowering of blood pressure concurrent with the lowering of IOP. This raises concerns that there may be compromised blood flow to the optic nerve, but no data have been published on the long-term systemic and ocular effects from the use of marijuana by patients with glaucoma.”

Apr. 7, 2014