You know when a disease has an entire month nationally dedicated to its awareness, it might not be a bad idea to get informed and educated about it. On that note, January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. You've probably heard the word "glaucoma" before, or maybe that smoking marijuana can help control the pain and onset. But exactly what is the disease, and how does it affect everyday life?

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According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, glaucoma can slowly but surely take your eyesight with little to no warning at all. Glaucoma typically affects those in the middle-aged to elderly population, however it can occur at any age. The disease causes damage to the optic nerve, which carries images from the eye to the brain. More than three million people in the United States have glaucoma, and unfortunately, it's irreversible.

LOOK: DOES SMOKING MARIJUANA REALLY HELP WITH GLAUCOMA?

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Photo: Canva
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There is no cure for glaucoma as of yet. There are prescription medications and surgeries that can slow, and in some cases, even prevent further vision loss. In this recent article, the American Academy of Ophthalmology states that early detection is key in helping with treatments.

Is marijuana a practical way to treat this eye condition? The AAO says no. This is mainly because eye pressure has to be maintained 24 hours a day to effectively treat glaucoma. The experts say this just isn't practical with marijuana.

To put things in perspective, if you're wanting to reduce eye pressure in a noticeable way and have it maintain that pressure, you'd have to take 18mg to 20mg of THC at least 6 to 8 times each day. Consuming that much weed could affect your mood, mental clarity, and more. Not to mention the fact you would not be able to drive or operate machinery. There's also the cost of marijuana itself, which most of us could not afford. It's just not practical.

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Photo: Canva
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Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world according to the World Health Organization. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get a comprehensive eye examination.

Abilene Eye Institute stands ready to answer all of your questions about Glaucoma. They've been serving the Abilene community since 1987 with a team of doctors providing the best care possible. Call them today at 325-695-2020 or you can even schedule a consultation.

So, when it comes to using marijuana to help with glaucoma, it looks like it's still a no-go. It actually does very little to control the disease, not to mention using marijuana without a medical card is still illegal in Texas. For a look at states where marijuana has been green-lighted, just look below.

States Where Recreational Marijuana is Legal

A fun collection of facts and photos! Learn which states have legalized recreational marijuana and when, plus some weed facts you may have never known.

Gallery Credit: Toni Gee, Townsquare Media

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