Why Does Weed Make Your Eyes Red? | Knock Knock Eye 

Hey, Glauc! Could you please do an "all things contacts" episode? Hard lenses, soft lenses, astigmatism lenses, daily lenses, extended wear lenses, cleaning and soaking solutions, etc. Easy ways to get the lenses in and out (put in the strongest lens first!). How long it takes the eyes to adapt when one lens is near, one distance. THANKS!

I'm an accountant currently doing month end close and I've been struggling with a migraine since last night after day 2 of long computer hours. I also wear gas perm contacts. I just tried the looking away for 20 seconds at something in the distance and damn if my eyes didn't feel "relaxed" just then. I didn't realize how much strain I'd been putting on them until I did that! And that's definitely the cause of my migraine (prob along with bad posture from the long hours and grinding my teeth in my sleep from the stress lol). Thanks doc!

Your comment about living long enough to need reading glasses reminds me of a TV commercial the cancer center I work at released years ago basically saying "we're happy to increase the number of wrinkles and gray hairs in the world." Growing old may not always feel great in the moment, but it sure beats the alternative.

An instructor told us back in medical school WAY back in the 1980s -- that it's good that the bad ones stick with us because we owe it to those people to find something to have learned. Maybe we didn't do anything wrong - maybe we did. But in some way, we should strive to better be able to help avoid that outcome moving forward.

Thank you for answering my glaucoma question. I appreciate you.

The metabolic pathways are a helpful refresher considering I have my MCAT in a week, but I’m not sure if it would connect with the general audience… 😂

As one of the "grossed out by eyes" folks - I just like medical humor and fun facts tbh! I just cannot in any way imagine working with, touching, or in any way interacting so closely with eyes. My middle school cow eye dissection involved all three of my teammates and I being the only people who did not successfully do anything. One walked in, walked straight back out, and was found on the other floor of the school a half hour later. Another immediately burst into tears and left. I tried, but the touching just... bleh. Sensory nightmare, and being autistic I do not want to look anyone in the eye already. I'll just listen instead :)

As an anaesthesiologist, to me, the respiratory secretions are not the worst. The rotten teeth you get to see sometimes though...

Also will you please do an autoimmune and ehlers-danlos episode for eyeballs?

Those patients that stick with you… 10 year old boy came to our unit on ecmo after complications occurred during a line placement for cancer treatment. Emergency sternotomy in the IR suite, much blood loss…His heart recovered enough after a week to be separated from the ecmo support. Unfortunately during a sedation vacation neuro check, we noticed that his pupils weren’t responsive. But he was interactive. After the usual imaging and optho consults, they concluded that he had cortical blindness. Whether from hypotension or a thrombus, it’s unknown what the cause was. Devastating news for the parents and the child. And he still had his cancer to deal with after all this. I don’t know the outcome after all this. So yeah, you do think about these things. Thanks for all the laughs doc. I love the cardiology v. nephrology, but I find the Ortho Bros to be my favorites.

Remember to ONLY ever use substances responsibly. If you’re going to drink alcohol or smoke cannabis, make sure you have it tested & safe dosage & make sure you have someone you can trust to keep you safe while you’re inebriated. Be smart, be safe.

You should do different specialties visiting eachother on holidays like christmas dinner, new years eve parties, and halloween.

Great presentation to the Texas Medical Association today! Thanks so much!

Please do an episode on post menopausal changes of the eye. Nobody ever discusses this aspect!

I'm glad attitudes on weed is changing. After learning that it's safer for your body than alcohol and has less potential for abuse or overdose than alcohol- to the point where dying due to overdose is basically impossible- I've been frustrated with the double standard, where drinking is encouraged yet consuming weed or possesing it was a felony. Laws are finally getting up to date with science, even validating it's medical use. It's a relief.

Literally no one else has ever googled gluconeogenesis for comedy. You are breaking new ground. 👏👏👏

As someone who doesn’t like eyeballs very much but still watches these videos, for me, it’s mostly the seeing actual eyes. I have seen several photos, models in anatomy, and I used to love going to the optometrist just because there was a model eye in his office he let me play with. Actually seeing photos of eye conditions or surgery videos, idk, there is just something there that grosses me out

I'm with you on the respiratory secretions... Patients would bring in a tissue with a "specimen". "Look what I coughed up!" "Thanks for sharing...?" Neuro-ophthamology! Great topic. Horner's syndrome!

Hey, I enjoy these types of grab bag videos. Thanks! I do have a question about VR headsets. When I was younger I was always told to get back from the TV. Wouldn't putting a screen filled with information 1-2 inches from your eye create similar issues?

*smokes dab while watching why weed makes your eyes red* 😂

Here is Virginia, the pollen is so bad this time of year that when I read "weed" I thought you meant ragweed.

I love the metabolic pathways! I have bachelor's and master's in sports and exercise science/exercise physiology. I currently work as a program coordinator for pathology. I wrote glycolysis out on sticky notes and challenged the pathologists to put the pathway in order....they all laughed at me and walked off 🤷🏻‍♀️. I put them in order and left them on my door 😁🤓 I've since added the kreb cycle!

Please buy a model of the eye!

Love this including the metabolism pathways!

Thank you for your time, Dr. Glaucomflecken! I always learn something new and exciting from your presentations, even the goopy & grodie ones! ⚘

I needed surgery years ago. I was talking to the pre-op nurse who told me he was working on his nurse anesthesitist degree. I asked what he was doing his masters thesis on, and being an honest person, he told me he was researching post-op blindness. Oh god,,, not the best thing to think about maybe happening as I was about to go under! I was fine..😊

Keep up the great work!! More of this

Hey Dr G - I used to watch an old show that had people with a bunch of crazy symptoms and I swear to god - about half of them ended up getting diagnosed by their opthalmologist! Can you do a show on the diseases ophthalmologists can discover that seem to have nothing to do with eyeballs?

Thank You!! I always wondered why!!!! #TeamJonathan

I'm waiting for the parasite episode with fascinated dread. Looking forward to it. (Probably less graphic without real pictures but still. )

Have you done an episode on eye injectables for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? I am particularly interested in the pros and cons of the new drugs for geographic atrophy (GA), Syfovre and Izervay. Asking for an elderly relative who has late-stage "dry" AMD. I have done some research on the subject and would appreciate an ophthalmologist's perspective.

Hi Dr G! Big fan of Knock Knock Eye as a hospital librarian who supports the Ophtho team. I'd love an episode which discusses the differences between medical and surgical ophthalmology - my hospital has two med ophthalmologists and I'm not sure what they do all day 😂 Also, please talk about uveitis - I never know what subspecialty to put it under on the monthly research bulletin!

You should get alot of views on this one !! 😊 Thanks Doc!!

Another video idea: maybe Hippus versus APD? Or when you talk about Horner's syndrome, maybe the difference is between anisocoria and a Horner's pupil? I love your content, Dr. G.; keep spreading the knowledge on brain bubbles!

How about aKNOCK KNOCK re: Posterior Vitreous Detachments... & appropriate follow-ups in subsequent years???

Ha! Starting to lose your eyesight does suck, but it's not so bad and yeah, it started when I turned 40 and it went really quick. Now I have a pair of reading glasses in every bathroom. It's one of those things that is really easy to deal with, though.

I know you are going to do a video on optic neuritis, but I was wondering if you are also able to talk about optic neuropathy and maybe do a video on optic neuritis versus optic neuropathy?

I was wondering if you can do an episode touching on visual snow. I've had it as long as I can remember and so many ophthalmologists tell me it's nothing to worry about. Mine looks like static on a TV and only happens when I look at dark things or at night. Some nights it is worse than others. I didn't even realize it was abnormal until in my teen years. I also have astigmatism and am severely nearsighted.

Is the Glauck infused for this episode? It seems maybe 😂

Happy schedule 3 weed day!! 🎉🎉

Could you do an episode on pupillary anomalies?

You should teach us about thyroid disorders.

I thought I had a great idea the other day. It floated up, catching my notice and for hours I was unable to look away. Then I realized it was just a floater. Oh, as for eyes being "gross", it could be somewhat related to the whole "ocular and oral trauma is the best horror" thing. Seriously, as a writer if I want to leave my readers feeling physically vulnerable, I describe something damaging teeth or eyes. Works every time.

Hi! I had a patient today with achromatopsia and I was wondering why the red tint in contact or glasses lenses can be helpful for this condition. Also I have seen people order the FL-41 tint which is supposed to help with migraines but I’ve only heard anecdotal evidence. Same with Irlen lenses.

As an autistic person, I have four problems with my eyeballs: 1- SUN HURTS (or any bright light); 2- When I hyperfocus, I forget to blink until my eyes start hurting and burning; 3- Sometimes (more often than I'd like to), I start blinking too much and "too hard" and that makes my eyes hurt a bit. Now, I know that I can't do anything about the first except using sunglasses and I have eye drops on my table all the time for the second one. But... Not doing the third makes me extremely uncomfortable and I'd like to know if I should stop doing this or if it's fine.

Another topic that I am interested in is asymmetric optic nerves not due to a congenital condition. Can this be the result of a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

We love metabolic pathways

I would love for you to do a show about vision therapy such as eye tracking work for people with resting therapy or vision therapy after a concussion. Is their scientific evidence for this or is it quack-ary?

YES! We want a parasite episode.

So down for metabolic stuff! Happy to listen to the gross stuff, too 🤓

Hey doc! I've got a question. Talking about pressure on the eyeballs made me think about how I've been wearing a sleep mask to bed recently. However, I find that with my current mask, it does put a bit of pressure on my eyes. Are there any eyeball-health considerations someone should consider when looking into a sleep mask?

Well I finally know the real reason why my classmates eyes got red after smoking pot. It definitely was a dead giveaway that they were smoking pot that's for sure. So many kids walking through the halls with red eyes. Those were the days of the late 70's early 80s. Every now and then a kid would pass out in class. Explains why several died early from a heart attack.

Well...dangit...been a Stoner since the 70's. Was hoping I'd never get glaucoma. Dashed my hopes, dude! 😂❤ Oh well...maybe it will prevent cancer...

Thanks so much for all your content creation, but, please, you look exhausted! Please take care of yourself.

I’m still wondering about all the ways false lashes have gone wrong. Also curious if you’ve seen anyone who had a problem from getting lashes permed.

Do you use 9.0 prolene suture?

Hmm, well so does playing video games for twelve hours straight. Then everybody at your work thinks you're a stoner, when you've never touched that stuff in your entire life.

Question: does it further damage your eyes if you need reading glasses but don't always use them?

is the rumour that tradesmen end up needing glasses later than usual in life? apparantly because we work up close and far away all day. or maybe the safety glasses?

I once had a doc ask me if I smoked because my pressures dropped so drastically between visits

Mark me down for Team Goopy Gross Stuff. I've been doing telehealth nursing for a couple years so I really miss it.

Parasite episode please!! 😊

DUDE, NAP! I want to shout this at every surgeon I know, 24/7

My Rhoto doesn't contain the ingredient that was mentioned, but it is a more expensive version of the stuff for lubrication. Curious about the ingredients in that one. My opth. had never even heard of the brand... I wonder if Dr G is aware of this one yet: Women are advised by 'fashionable' sources to use Visine so that you look better in photos. Makeup can itritate eyes, irritated eyes arent "hot"; therefore, women should put drops in their eyes. 🤦🏻‍♀️

1 hour gang

Visene is the Afrin of eyeballs!

I agree with you Dr G respiratory excretions are horrifying! I will gag at someone blowing their nose and having a lot come out. *Shudders* just thinking about it is upsetting my stomach.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who now wonders - what can happen with fake eyelashes?!

Sadly, some professions require false lashes. Ophthalmologists against harmful beauty standards!

I Love the goopy and gross! Keep it coming.

Missed opportunity for a Dr Ashley Winter collab.

Hey you should collab with Molly Burke who is a blind RU-vidr who does amazing work and is also funny.

I hope you reviewed your anatomy 😂😂😂

I assume without watching that weed turns your eyes red is because of the power of Satan conjured by your use of "the devil's lettuce." (Kidding, BTW)

Glaucoma.. Kahook v Istent?

AFAIK the most appropriate treatment for red, dry eyes like from weed consists of OTC liposomal eye sprays (applied to the CLOSED eye! It seeps down into the eye afterwards), not drops (and Especially not visine, as already mentioned in the vid). As far as I understand it, and I might have it wrong, the eye pressure reduction from weed decreases pressure on those ducts which sit along the eye lids. Those ducts (which aren't the tear ducts!) excrete lipids (fats/oils) which then float on top of the water-based tear film and prevent evaporation. But, AFAIK, the eye pressure drop lowers the rate of excretion of those lipids strongly, so the tear film starts partially evaporating (AFAIK smoke particles can THEN, under those conditions, ALSO cause the film to 'rip' resulting in tears 'leaking' unexpectedly, but that's a secondary effect enable by the lack of lipids and more rare, but probably from where the folk 'logic' of "it's the smoke" comes from.), and that's how you get dryness, and thus the feeling of irritation-which can then make the reddening /worse/ - but that's all quasi-independent of the blood pressure drop induced reddening from blood vessel dilation outlined by the doc in the video. I might of course have all of this wrong, I'm not a medical professional, this isn't medical advice, etc. - but I feel pretty confident I got this at least MOSTLY right. (Bonus: a lot of those lipids are made of omega-3 fatty acids - if you don't get enough of those, one ends up more prone to such irritation.)

Eyes are gross. I am a clinical microbiologist and I gag If my family members leave a contact lens in the sink. I work up an anal abscess with professional glee but...

All parts of the body are gross. Not just eyeballs.

Parasites please!

Oooh! Yes to parasites. Sometimes your podcasts are like medical horror movies.

PARASEYETS!!

Parasite episodes!!!

Neat topic, but why take until the 11 minute mark to start the discussion? Too much rambling.