Glaucoma

Hi all. My beautiful 14 1/2 yr old baby has glaucoma and is going back to the vet today to prepare for surgery to remove his left eye! We tried meds but the sight is gone and the pressure is getting worse. I don't want him to be in any pain and I know the surgery is his best option but I wish he (and I) didn't have to go through this! I have had him since he was 9 weeks old and am so worried about him. My children don't remember life without him and are pretty freaked out over his losing an eye. Especially my youngest, who is 13 and reminds me that "Jingle has been in the family longer than me!"
Anyone else have any experience with this?
I guess I just needed to vent and see if anyone out there knows what we are going through.
Thanks!

I will say a prayer all goes well.

I have a glaucoma baby here, she lost her right eye.
I can tell you the dramatic improvements that occured once all that pressure was removed.
Her sight in her other eye improved, and with the pressure gone, her chronic URI finally cleared.

It is a very serious surgery, but without it, the quality of life is very lacking.
Think of having a lifelong migraine that never goes away.
Your baby will feel worlds better once that bad eye is gone.

Please, keep us posted on updates and good luck to you and you family and cat.
Here is a pic of my girl the day after her surgery.

Arlyn, Thanks so much for your insight. I know it is the best thing for him but it is still surgery and I worry! Luckily the vet said he is in good health otherwise so at least that is not a concern.
Your kitty is adorable! Can I ask...how long was the recovery period and did you have to do anything special for her?

Since she was born with Glaucoma, she was only 4 months old when she had her surgery, so her recovery was very quick.
The sutures were removed 5 days after and it was completely healed in 10 days.
She was already on oral antibiotics for her URI and her vet figured it would also help her surgery site profilacticly.
Other than that, we continued steroid drops and lubricating ointment in her left eye for 6 weeks until all swelling in her head was gone.
She also had to wear the dreaded E-collar while the site healed.

She was also playing and acting like a normal 4 month old 2 days after surgery, something she'd never been able to do prior.

Ok, we are back from the vet. Here's the latest....the cloudyness that I saw thinking the glaucoma was getting worse is actually a cataract that has developed in the eye. The vet said that it isn't bothering Jingle because he can't see out of it anyway. I scheduled the surgery for next Tuesday and they will probably keep him overnight. He will be in an ecollar for up to 10 days and on antiboitics for 2 weeks.
I will try to get a picture of him tonight (camera batteries are dead) and post a before pic.

It's Tuesday

Please, let us know when you hear from the vet regarding Jingle's surgery.