Perhaps you have smoked weed on your way to work. The air fresheners have removed the weed stank, but your eyes are about to reveal your little secret to the boss. The red eyes, though not painful, can be the deal-breaker.
You can get rid of the red, high eyes after smoking weed by using eye drops. Visine is the most used brand for this, but any eye drop with Tetrahydrozoline as the base ingredient will work. But there is more than one way to remedy high eyes.
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What causes red eyes after smoking weed?
Though most people believe that the red eyes are caused by smoke you exhale when smoking, nothing can be farther from the truth. People still get red eyes after consuming cannabis through non-smoke means like eating edibles, dabbing, or using tinctures.
The red eyes after smoking weed is caused by THC, which decreases your blood pressure. The reduction in the blood pressure causes the blood vessels to dilate, opening up for more blood. In the case of the eyes, the ocular capillaries will enlarge, taking in more blood to the white surface (sclera), making it appear redder.
The smoke has nothing to do with the redness unless you’re engulfed in smoke in a dingy room—in which case, the redness will appear whether it’s cannabis you’re smoking or just burning anything.
However, the level of redness will depend on different factors. You might smoke with your buddies, but you end up with the reddest eyes, sometimes even puffy. So the effects are never the same.
Factors that affect how red your eyes get after consuming weed
You have probably observed that your eyes don’t get red all the time you smoke. Or fairly put, the intensity of the redness will differ.
Sometimes you puff a whole joint, and your eyes don’t get the extreme bloodshot, but other times, you just take a hit and your eyes are redder than beetroot juice. Here are factors that determine how red your eyes get after toking.
Quality and quantity of weed: The more weed you smoke, the more chances your eyes of getting high eyes. Even low-grade weed can get your eyes red as the toking time is lengthy. And the overall cannabinoid intake increases.
When it comes to quality, the THC concentration counts. When you consume THC-high cannabis, your eyes will be redder than when you smoke strains that are lower in THC.
Allergies: Not everyone who gets a red eye after smoking has consumed ‘too much’ weed. Other people are allergic— either to the weed scent, pollen, or the smoke.
Stoners who are allergic to smoke can get red eyes even if they were exposed to smoke from something as harmless as incense.
Genetics: Maybe the redness is in your DNA. I’m serious. For other people, their genetic make-up predisposes them to the red-eye syndrome. They might take in low-THC weed but still, get the tomato-red eyes.
Frequency of consuming weed: Newbies who smoke pot once in a while will most likely surfer the red eyes. Seasoned stoners, on the other hand, have developed tolerance to weed and will not get the red eye for the same amount and quality of weed.
Blood pressure: Those who have high blood pressure will not experience extreme bloodshot eyes since the THC will not bring it down enough to dilate the ocular capillaries and other blood vessels.
How do I clear the redness in my eyes after smoking weed?
Just followed a bunch of you I that I wasn’t before!!! Sorry some folks slip through these stoned eyes pic.twitter.com/WRnrtMPGKV
— 📺Tw0nTv📺 #UAG (@apex101stream) July 31, 2020
First, you should know that nothing is wrong with the red eyes, at least, health-wise. Stoned eyes will not affect you in any way, even if it gets as red as beetroot juice.
If you smoke weed at home where nobody is going to judge you for smoking weed, you shouldn’t even be worried.
The redness will be gone in no time. Just make sure you clear your slate before you sit down to smoke— if you care too much about stoned eyes, I bet you wouldn’t want to step out running errands when stoned. This is how to clear your red, stoned eyes.
Use eye drops
Applying eye drops is by far the fastest way to clear red eyes after smoking weed. Though different brands will deliver varied results, you can bank on Visine to get the job done.
You can use other eye drop brands that have Tetrahydrozoline as the dominant ingredient as they help in constricting the dilated blood vessels faster. Read the product specifications to make sure it’s created to clear red eyes fast.
Smoke in open spaces
Though smoking in the open will not get rid of the redness caused by dilated ocular capillaries, it saves you from the redness caused by the smoke irritating your eyes.
When you expose yourself to smoke in dingy spaces, you will be irritated. It will irritate your lungs and eyes, making your eyes red. If you can, smoke out in the open where the exhaled smoke dissipates into thin air faster.
Besides, if you want to clear your eyes so that nobody knows you’ve stoned, it means you won’t love your clothes carrying the smell from the weed smoke.
Low-THC strains
I’d like to confess. I can’t go for this option because when I sit down to smoke my pipe, I want the best stuff. Who wants to fill their lungs with low-THC smoke?
I’ll always choose high THC strains, even if my eyes would be tomato-red after stoning. Still, if this works for you, smoking low-THC strains will inhibit the dilation of the ocular capillaries— leaving your eyes with their natural hue.
Don’t think about it!
Hey, so many people suffer from eye-reddening ailments. Think about it; some of them have never touched weed. If you weren’t so conscious of your red eyes, nobody would even notice.
Light another spliff. And smoke it without a care in the world because no one should be smoking weed while looking over their shoulders. Light another, redden your eyes, the world will adjust.
How long do red eyes last while high on weed?
The length of time your red eyes will last depend on such factors; your level of tolerance, the quality of the weed, and the quantity you’ve consumed.
Ordinarily, it should take you between 45 minutes to 1 hour for your eyes to clear to a level where you can walk outside comfortably. Your eyes will be clear, but it won’t hide your high face.
Do edibles cause red eyes like smoking marijuana does?
Yes, edibles can cause red eyes if they’re high in THC. This is the main reason why those who propose that smoke is the sole culprit are wrong.
How long will it take for my red eyes to go away (from smoking weed) after putting in eye drops?
It depends on the brand of the eye drops and if the eye drop is made for clearing red eyes. But it generally takes between 10-15 minutes after putting in the drops.
Don’t just settle for any eye drops made for eye allergies. Find eye drops that contain tetrahydrozoline— they work faster by constricting eye blood vessels. If want you tried-and-tested product, then just go for the good old Visine.
In Conclusion
There is only one sure-fire way to clear the red eyes after stoning. There might be other tips to reduce the redness, but when you need fast-action, always go for the eye drops. Light one up, it’s time!