Did marijuana help John Lennon’s contact lenses stay in?

Scientists have suggested that marijuana use may have prevented John Lennon’s contact lenses from falling out as part of research published in Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics.

Stephen Vincent, of the Queensland University of Technology, and co-author, Roslyn Vincent, outlined how Lennon wore contact lenses before adopting his signature wire-rimmed circular spectacles.

The authors note that between 1963 and 1966, Lennon wore corneal rigid contact lenses which “frequently fell out.”

Reported incidents of his contact lenses falling out include during the filming of a comedy sketch show in 1964, after being hit in the face by a jelly baby at a performance in 1965 and on holiday in Tobago in 1966.

The authors highlighted that the contact lenses were made from polymethylmethacrylate. They suggested that the reason the contact lenses fell from his eye could be due to the interaction between his upper eyelid and the spherical back surface rigid lens fitted to his right eye.

A New York optometrist recalled how Lennon had said that they only way he could keep contact lenses in his eyes was to consume cannabis first.

“Cannabis-induced upper eyelid ptosis would reduce the interaction between the upper eyelid margin and the edge of the contact lens reducing the chance of ejection from the eye,” the authors highlighted.

“Ultimately, John's sub-optimally fitting contact lenses may have played a minor role in the genesis of his iconic bespectacled look, which is still instantly recognisable over half a century later,” they concluded.