There’s a long-standing rumor that cannabis helps us see better in the dark, but let’s look at it from a scientific point of view.

Scientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute have studied the effects of narcotics on the eyes. True, it was done on frogs…

As one American psychologist said, “Scientists, apparently, think that mankind has descended from the white mouse.”

But now it appears that Homo sapiens came from the African Clawed Frog, as well.

First, the Canadians gave the tadpoles synthetic cannabinoid in order to test its effects on eye tissues, and then with the help of microelectrodes recorded how the retinal cells responded to light.

The rumor proved true! Cannabinoid made the cells more sensitive to light. Then, to see if this affected vision, the tadpoles were placed in a petri dish and observed on how they reacted to dark spots in different levels of light.

Usually, the innocent tadpoles swim away from the dark spots, assuming they are predators.

In normal lighting, there wasn’t a difference between the “stoned” tadpoles and the sober ones.

But in dim lighting, the former more actively avoided these dark spots; their vision in the dark had improved.

I don’t know what prevented these brave Canadian scientists from taking a group of volunteers and giving them some pot to smoke, or even some edibles. Perhaps it would be difficult to get a grant for this experiment, and using tadpoles helps it to appear more scientific.

It is unknown whether cannabis can make humans eagle-eyed, as well, but there are many long-standing rumors about it.

Scientists are nevertheless charged with optimism, and believe that further research can help find more effective treatments for macular degeneration and glaucoma.

There’s an even more powerful rumor that psilocybin mushrooms can improve vision. The famous ethnobotanist, mystic, psychonaut, lecturer and author Terence McKenna even has an interesting theory on the evolution of consciousness, based on this idea, and everyone knows that hallucinogenic mushrooms have sensory effects, particularly in regard to vision and hearing.

Colors are brighter and have more contrast. It’s true that you’ll see often halos around back-lit objects, perspective distortion, and a glowing haze in the air, moving surfaces that appear to flow from one place to another, ripples, pulses or deformities, kaleidoscoping textures, color-changing objects, tracers, and many other things that personally remind me of the “special effects” of cataracts.

It all depends on the dose, and that’s why vitamin companies are popping up (like mushrooms) that sell small, homeopathic doses of these psychoactive substances. I think it can be compared to wine. If you have a sense of moderation, wine can beautify your life – if you don’t, it can pull you under. Just like anything else. “There is nothing that couldn’t be hell.” (Borges)

The internet is full of contradictory data, so I turned to a sacred source – the site of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. I’ll translate a piece for the ordinary mortals:

“The idea of the effectiveness of marijuana in the treatment of glaucoma has its roots in the 70s. Studies showed that marijuana use reduced intraocular pressure. However, this is only for 3 to 4 hours.

Glaucoma needs to be under control 24 hours a day, which means you’d have to smoke marijuana 6-8 times a day. But it doesn’t only affect the eyes – also your ability to drive a car, operate machinery, and be generally adequate.

This isn’t the only side effect. Marijuana cigarettes contain hundreds of components that are harmful to the lungs. Moreover, at high doses, it affects short-term memory and concentration.

Intraocular pressure isn’t the only factor that leads to damage of the optic nerve, either. Recent research has shown that glaucoma is a neurological disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s”.

“There is evidence that a reduction in blood flow to the optic nerve can also harm patients with glaucoma. And marijuana not only reduces intraocular pressure, but also blood pressure. As a result, it can potentially restrict blood flow to the optic nerve, thus canceling out the advantages from having reduced intraocular pressure.”

I’m not going to argue with the Academy. I’m the little guy. However, it is unclear why they only discuss smoking. There are chocolates, cookies, and all other kinds of fun that aren’t harmful to the lungs, and I think last longer.

It would be nice to investigate these popular delicacies’ impact on vision. Again, only low doses! I’m a fan of moderation.

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Cannabis and Eyesight - Benjamin Eye Institute

Destroying the myths that mushrooms improve eyesight and figuring out what doses of marijuana are needed for patients with glaucoma. Scientific pros and cons of experiencing narcotics in ophthalmology.

Cannabis and Eyesight

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⭐️ My review of LASIK after one year ⭐️I told Dr. Benjamin I would do this a while ago, but I kind of feel like it says a lot I have kept this on my checklist for a year. I feel like a year is a good amount of time to review a procedure like this and give my honest thoughts and recommendation.So, let me tell you about my journey to getting LASIK and how I ended up in the amazing care of Dr. Benjamin. After going to an optometrist for years and him advising against LASIK because of my genetically dry eyes, I finally got a second opinion from an ophthalmologist (Dr. Benjamin). I didn’t know the difference between an optometrist vs. opthalmologist, but once I learned it kind of made sense why my optometrist didn’t want me getting LASIK lol. Because he couldn’t sell me on contact lenses or glasses for the foreseeable future if I got my vision corrected :) I mean, who knows, but I am glad I got a second opinion.I figured being in Los Angeles with some of the best doctors in the world… if anyone is going to touch my big, blue eyeballs, might as well get it done while I’m here. I found this business due to the reviews and they seemed to really know what they were doing and how to talk to clients.Upon meeting Dr. Benjamin he told me that I wasn’t a candidate for LASIK with my dry eyes, but he could put me through treatments for dry eyes and reevaluate after; and that these treatments had a good success rate for most.So, I started doing two treatments every other week for about 2.5 months - IPL laser treatment and Lipiflow. Lipiflow, especially, was a weird painless experience but highly recommend anyone with dry eyes to ask about it regardless of LASIK. I could tell my eyes felt way less dry a couple days after each treatment. There are videos on YouTube that talk about this treatment… Who knew this stuff existed. I’m not gonna lie, it’s an investment to do all these treatments on top of LASIK, but my eyes rarely feel dry anymore so if you’re going to get it done - do it right.Finally, I was approved for LASIK. I ended up waiting until the end of year to make sure I saved up the funds to do it and had some time to heal. I also took advantage of an end of year deal they were offering. $1000 off was a pretty nice forcing function to get me to finally do it after prepping my eyes with the treatments. The procedure itself I couldn’t feel anything even though I was awake the entire time (medicated). Even the scary part when bubbles form on your eyes Dr. Benjamin let me know about in advance so when it happened I just went with the flow. I think the worst part was the recovery the few days after and coming home drugged up lol. I remember day 1 thinking omg what did I do to my eyes. My eyes just hurt and felt weird, but omg I could see 20/15 immediately. And then, day by day it gradually got better. It took a few weeks for my eyes to heal, but after 1 month you couldn’t even tell I had surgery. One eye was a bit more bloodshot than the other.I can see 20/15. It’s been life changing for the past year not having to worry about contacts or glasses. I just got married and was able to walk down the aisle with clear vision. I only wish I had the means to have done this earlier in life. If you’re considering it - do it! And definitely consider Dr. Benjamin to do it right.Lastly, to continue treating my dry eyes, Dr. Benjamin gave me an extra LipiFlow treatment, and also recommended I try punctal plugs (painless plugs inserted into your lids that help your tears last longer). He placed the plugs in my eyes under 5 mins. Wild.I heard from people during the LASIK process they have been nervous to get the procedure so I wrote this to help and because I think highly of this business for changing my life. And, some of the dry eye treatments I would’ve never known about had it not been for them. Again, I wish I would have had been able to do this years ago. It is so, so worth it!Thank you, Dr. Benjamin (and staff!)

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The surgeons at Benjamin Eye Institute are true experts in their field - they were able to explain the procedure in detail and answer all of my questions and concerns. The surgery itself was quick and painless, and the recovery was much faster than I had anticipated.

I just completed my first visit and can say that this office deserves every high ranking it gets. The staff are efficient, friendly but highly professional.  The office is modern and sparkling clean. The examination was smooth and thorough. The doctor saw me on time.  He listened closely to the background of my problem, and he clearly communicated his treatment plan and the rationale for it. I absolutely trust him and highly recommend him.

Dr. Benjamin is always personable and thoughtful and very much an expert.  He has been my eye doctor for many years.  Now that I am older I am very grateful that he is still my ophthalmologist. Everyone in the office is very helpful. I, of course, highly recommend Dr. Benjamin.

One of the things that sets the Benjamin Eye Institute apart from other ophthalmology practices is their team of experienced and highly trained surgeons. The surgeons at the Benjamin Eye Institute have performed thousands of cataract and LASIK surgeries, and have a wealth of experience in these procedures. They are committed to providing the best possible care for their patients and strive to achieve excellent outcomes.

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Immediately after  cataract surgery, I can see my husband’s face accross the room for the first time in 40 years! No more glasses since childhood, both distance and close up. If you are thinking, should you spend the big bucks to see everything both near and far?  I can tell you it’s so worth it! Thank you Dr. Benjamin and all the wonderful people in your office! I appreciate your efficiency, attentiveness, professionalism and welcoming space! Please feel free to use me as a reference any time!

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My 18-year-old son has been under Dr. Benjamin's care, and we were truly impressed by the level of service we received at Benjamin Eye Institute. From the moment we stepped into the clinic, the staff was incredibly helpful and accommodating.Dr. Benjamin conducted a comprehensive eye exam for my son, and his expertise and professionalism were evident throughout the entire process. He took the time to explain everything clearly, making sure my son understood his eye health and any potential concerns. His patience and attentiveness were truly appreciated.We highly recommend Dr. Benjamin to anyone seeking exceptional eye care. He and his team exceeded our expectations, and we are grateful for the outstanding service we received. Thank you, Dr. Benjamin!

Dr Benjamin and Alba were great. He is very professional, kind and with clear explanations. I had an eyelid quick surgery and I’m just missing the glasses prescription, I left the office and forgot to ask for it. But he and his team were amazing!

I was referred to Dr. Benjamin from both my eye doctor and a very close friend of mine who also had her LASIK performed there. My experience was exceptional. Every single person that you meet in the office is a joy to work with. Whether it was the constant and clear communication, or the fact that they were always listening to feedback and answering my questions and concerns, they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable trusting my vision to them. They were very kind and never once pressured me into anything (including when I had to push my surgery back after I broke my leg).I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye problems because they have the most advanced equipment and Dr. Benjamin is caring, thorough and knowledgeable.

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LASIK Eye Surgery- The short is go see Dr. Benjamin!I visited Dr. Benjamin Eye Institute after deciding I wanted to learn more about Lasik eye surgery and what the process would look like. I stare at computer screens for very long periods of time so I was nervous to make this life change but ready to ditch my glasses for good! The entire team from day 1 of my consultation made me feel very comfortable. The office is clean the staff are extremely welcoming, friendly and all took the time to answer any questions I had about the procedure - which was very quick and painless the day of. They also have awesome social content for educational purposes and just to make you laugh!I am about a month post procedure and it has been life changing and a freedom restored. Your eyes are important so make sure you consult with the best.Thank you Dr. Benjamin and team!!!

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