The Best Eye Drops for Red Eyes After Smoking Weed

The fastest way to get rid of red eyes after smoking weed is a redness-relief eye drop, and which one you pick matters: some work in a minute but can cause rebound redness, while newer ones and artificial tears are gentler. We all know the side effects of using cannabis: relaxation, euphoria, the munchies, cottonmouth and so on.

But two of them give you away every time: the smell and, above all, red eyes, the classic tell that you just smoked a good joint. So why does it happen, and how do you get rid of it?

Why does weed make your eyes red?

Red eyes come from vasodilation, meaning your blood vessels widen. When you smoke, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increases blood flow to your eyes, and that's what gives them the red look.

Another cause can be sensitivity to cannabis. The plant naturally irritates the eyes a bit, but some people are more sensitive than others, especially when they're around smoke.

In some cases, stoned eyes can also come from a cannabis allergy. It's not common, but people who have it can get red eyes, hives, swelling and skin irritation.

Red eyes usually aren't dangerous (unless you have an underlying condition that complicates things), but plenty of people still feel self-conscious about them, whether because they don't look great, because you'd rather nobody knew you were smoking, or simply because a lot of people still judge cannabis use.

How do redness-relief eye drops work?

To avoid red eyes, you can go for a strain with less THC. But if you're all about high-THC flower, eye drops are your friend.

Most redness-relief eye drops are made with a decongestant called tetrahydrozoline. So how do these drops actually get the red out?

The medication temporarily shrinks the swollen blood vessels in your eyes. Once those vessels aren't dilated anymore, the pink or red tint fades.

The catch: stoner eyes can come back even redder once the drops wear off. That's called rebound redness.

A newer type of eye drop uses an ingredient called brimonidine. It works differently from the older decongestants: it also shrinks the blood vessels in your eyes, but with a lower risk of rebound redness.

Other eye drops for weed-red eyes also contain lubricants, which protect your eyes from the dryness that adds to the irritation.

What are the best eye drops for red eyes from smoking?

There are so many eye drops out there that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Luckily, there are some solid over-the-counter options. That said, if you're taking other medications, it's worth checking with your doctor to avoid interactions.

To pick these drops, we looked at what stoners actually complain about. It's not just red eyes; a lot of people also report dry eyes. So we looked for drops that cut redness, relieve dryness or work as artificial tears. Here's our list.

Visine Red Eye Hydrating Comfort

Visine is one of the best-known, most effective red-eye drops around. It usually kicks in within 60 seconds, and its active ingredient is tetrahydrozoline HCl (0.05%).

Bausch + Lomb Advanced Eye Relief Maximum Redness

This Bausch + Lomb drop calms redness and doubles as a lubricant. It has a reputation as one of the best red-eye drops because it contains 0.03% naphazoline hydrochloride, the highest strength of this redness reliever sold over the counter.

Clear Eyes Redness Relief

Another drop a lot of people swear by for post-smoke red eyes is Clear Eyes Redness Relief, which combines a lubricant with a redness reliever. It has less naphazoline than the Bausch + Lomb drop, but that's a standard, effective dose.

Lumify

Some people call Lumify the best redness-relief drop out there. It uses brimonidine as its active ingredient, posted strong satisfaction numbers in the maker's own studies, and is meant for redness caused by minor eye irritation.

Rohto V Max Strength

Rohto V is a solid pick for getting rid of red eyes after smoking, soothing them and fighting dryness. These drops act fast and leave your eyes feeling cool and fresh.

Refresh Tears

Refresh Tears are artificial tears used to treat dry eyes. The active ingredient is carboxymethylcellulose sodium (0.5%), an eye lubricant.

Artificial tears are an alternative to redness drops and can be used for longer stretches of time. They don't contain any ingredient that targets redness, though.

How to avoid red eyes in the first place

A lot of people won't love this answer, because it means cutting back on high-THC strains. Why? THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main active compound in cannabis, and whether you smoke it, vape it or eat it, it interacts with a network of receptors spread throughout your body and brain. These receptors are called CB1 and CB2, and they're part of the body's endocannabinoid system.

When THC enters your body and binds to these receptors, it triggers a bunch of well-known effects. The most famous one is, of course, the psychoactive high.

Beyond that, THC also lowers blood pressure, widens small blood vessels and increases blood flow around the body. Researchers have also found that THC can temporarily lower pressure inside the eye, which is why cannabis has been studied as a possible treatment for glaucoma, a disease marked by high intraocular pressure (among other symptoms).