“There was a personal reason why Dr. Gary Blick became one of the nearly 100 physicians in the state who are licensed to prescribe medical marijuana.”I did this because my 91-year-old mother, who has glaucoma,” he said. “Her glaucoma eye drops had failed to produce the desired results and she was facing surgery.”

Glaucoma is a disease in which the eye typically has excessive internal pressure, damaging the nerve fibers of the retina, the delicate tissue at the back of the eye that’s sensitive to light and color.

“She was needing surgery to repair her eyes,” he said. “But after we started her on medical marijuana, her pressures dropped, and when she stopped smoking marijuana, the pressures went back up again.”

He said her testimony in Hartford last year had the legislative committee considering the bill “in stitches,” even though her testimony countered testimony of the president of the Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians, who said marijuana would not be helpful to glaucoma patients.

“So one of the senators said, `Are you aware of Gloria Blick‘s testimony?’ To which he replied, `Well, I guess it would help some people.’ To which the senator replied, `Isn’t that what we’re here for?’ ”

Blick sees medical marijuana as just one of the arsenal of options that physicians should have to ease pain and provide relief for various diseases.”

More: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Doctor-Marijuana-is-a-needed-option-4740995.php#src=fb