With the legalization of medical marijuana in 29 states as of April 2017, the question of whether marijuana is a good treatment for glaucoma has resurfaced.

Glaucoma is a common eye disease that affects the optic nerve and results in loss of peripheral vision. The treatment for glaucoma is to lower the pressure - intraocular pressure - inside the eye. This can be accomplished by laser, eye drops, or surgery.

The idea that marijuana can be used to treat glaucoma dates back to the 1970s. Smoking marijuana does lower intraocular pressure but the effect lasts only 3-4 hours. In order for marijuana to be an effective treatment, a person would have to smoke marijuana every 3 hours. Since marijuana also has psychoactive effects, consistently smoking it could prevent a person from performing at maximum mental capacity, and frequent use can cause problems with short-term memory.

Marijuana not only lowers intraocular pressure but also blood pressure and blood flow throughout the...

Are you thinking about starting to wear contact lenses or switching to a different type of contact?

Wearing contacts can make a big difference in the way you see things – such as sharper details and brighter colors. And technology has made contacts more comfortable than ever.

While we look forward to discussing contact lenses and working closely with you to find the right type of lens to meet your needs, here are some things for you to think about:

Reasons to consider contact lenses

• Contact lenses move with your eye, allow a natural field of view, have no frames to obstruct your vision and greatly reduce distortions.
• Unlike glasses, they do not fog up or get water spots.
• Contact lenses are excellent for sports and other physical activities.
• Many people feel they look better in contact lenses.
• Compared to eyeglasses, contacts may offer better, more natural sight.

Some things to remember about contact lenses

• Compared to glasses, contact lenses require a longer...