eye problem guinea pig

Question
I have a two yr.old female guinea pig who I just noticed loks like she has a whole in the pupil of her eye the eyeball is all swollen and no longer black it is a cloudy white color she cant close her eye and no longer squeaks she is still eating and drinking please help daughter is heartbroken very fixed income I am disabled

Answer
Hello Linda,
It sounds like she may have a few things an eye injury, pea eye or Congenital Cataracts. Pea eye is the swelling of the eye. Congenital Cataracts is the result of genetic defect normally and eventually the guinea pig will be blind, but the guinea pig can live just as happy being blind since they can't see that well anyway. Guinea pigs with cataracts have a cloudy white color over their eye and usually the second eye becomes cloudy as well. There is no known cure for Cataracts and as for pea eye treatment is usually not necessary. Your guinea pig could also have an ulcer and eye ointment is generally applied like Terramycin antibiotic eye ointment. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9674&N=2001+113755
I would really look around for that eye ointment and apply it to the eye. It could possibly help stop the swelling and bacterial infections of the eye. I would really try the product if you can't afford to find a vet to get the actual diagnosis of what is causing the swelling of the eye. Here is a link on eye problems in guinea pigs. Good luck and keep me posted.

http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html