A lot of people choose to use edibles due to the fact that they are discreet. You don’t have to smoke anything; therefore, you don’t have to worry about smelling like weed.

It’s common knowledge that smoking marijuana, especially when new to the plant or smoking large amounts, your eyes turn red. And sometimes not just a little red, but very red. But what about marijuana edibles? Does ingesting edibles cause any other noticeable symptoms such as red eyes?

What Are Edibles?

Edibles are considered any form of marijuana that is consumed through eating or drinking rather than smoking or vaping it. Besides the obvious variances such as how each method is ingested, there is another distinct difference which is the time it takes for the effects to be felt and how long those effects actually last.

When you smoke or vape marijuana, the effects are almost instantaneous and usually last anywhere from 2-3 hours. However, when you eat or drink marijuana via edibles, the effects take longer to kick in but can last for many, many hours.

Do Edibles Make Your Eyes Red?

Now that we know more about edibles and how they work, and proper dosing, it’s time to address the main question. Do edibles make your eyes red? The short and sweet answer is yes, it can.

While a lot of people assume it’s the smoke from weed or the act of coughing that makes your eyes red, it’s actually the cannabinoids themselves. The reason this happens is that THC works to lower your blood pressure. This, in turn, causes the capillaries and blood vessels in your body to dilate, including the ones in your eyes. When the capillaries in the eyes dilate, there is increased blood flow to the area which is what causes the appearance of redness. This process is actually what makes marijuana so useful for the treatment of glaucoma.

How Long Do Red Eyes Last After Consuming Marijuana?

When smoking marijuana, red eyes typically go mostly back to normal after a few hours – at most five hours.

When consuming marijuana edibles, red eyes typically go back mostly to normal after four to six hours

When consuming edibles with very large amounts of THC, red eyes can last as long as six to eight hours.

Although there’s no absolute fool-proof way to reduce the time your eyes are red after consuming marijuana (or stop it entirely), here are a few tips:

Carry with you and use eye drops like Visine. These are probably the best way to rapidly reduce red-eyes, though it doesn’t solve the problem entirely.

Be patient. As mentioned above, typically a few hours after smoking marijuana, or four to six hours after consuming marijuana edibles, the red eyes will fade away back to normal

Drink plenty of liquid, which can help to reduce eye dryness and thus eye redness.

Use a Cold Compress. Soak a cloth in ice water or use very cool water to wet a cloth and then wring it out completely. Lay back or lean your head back and place the compress over your eyes. The cold temperature can help by reducing blood flow to the area which will alleviate redness and irritation.

Use a Warm Compress. If the cold compress doesn’t work for you, try a warm compress instead. Remember to use warm water and not hot water as the eyes are sensitive to extreme temperatures. This process can help increase natural oil production and lubrication in your eyes.

Zenpype.com is an educational website dedicated to shedding the light on many sides of medical and recreational cannabis. Aside from informing people about cannabis, we also provide cannabis seeds and CBD products. Readers who show their support with purchasing, help us keep doing this. Thank you for your support and for helping us improve!