Cannabis Use Linked to Reduced Risk of Postoperative Eyesight Complication

A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology has found that patients undergoing retinal detachment (RD) repair who use cannabis may experience a lower risk of developing proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a serious complication that can lead to vision loss. The research, led by Dr. Ahmed M. Alshaikhsalama from UT Southwestern Medical Center, analyzed data from over 2,300 patients and revealed some intriguing results.

The study compared individuals with documented cannabis use—verified through blood or urine tests—to a control group without such records. After matching participants based on various factors, researchers observed that those who used cannabis had a significantly reduced risk of PVR at six and twelve months following surgery. Specifically, the incidence of PVR was 2.10% among cannabis users compared to 4.36% in non-users, representing nearly a 50% relative risk reduction. Additionally, cannabis users were less likely to require complex reoperations for retinal repair.

While these findings suggest a potential protective effect of cannabis against certain postoperative complications, the authors caution that the absolute risk reduction was modest, approximately 2%. This means the clinical significance remains uncertain, and confounding factors may influence the observed association.

The study highlights an interesting avenue for future research into medical cannabis's role in eye surgery outcomes. However, more comprehensive studies are needed to confirm causality and determine whether cannabis could be part of therapeutic strategies to improve retinal surgery results.

For more details, the full study can be accessed in JAMA Ophthalmology (2025).