[Littlemonster21]

I just noticed yesterday that my hamster Marnie has developed some redness around her eye. This happened almost overnight as only about one day had gone by since I had seen her and she seemed fine then. But yesterday when she woke up there was a distinct brown line (sort of like she had a human eye lid) around her eye and it looked slightly red and irritated. It looks a little worse today. The right eye looks worse than the left which looks crimped, as if the skin around the eye was pinched slightly, and the right eye looked almost as if the skin around the eye was peeled back. I know that sound grotesque and it probably doesn't look as bad as you're imagining it, but I just can't figure out how to upload pictures or I would do that.

This is genuinely the first time that I have had to deal with a possible health detriment in any of my hamsters so I really don't know if this is extreme enough that I should take her to the vet or if it will resolve itself. Is it an infection? It is definitely irritated and red. If I figure out how to upload pictures I will give an update but I would absolutely appreciate any suggestions as to further steps I should take because I am quite worried. Besides her eyes I haven't noticed any other obvious physical abnormalities and her behavior is relatively normal minus the fact that she has gotten up a little later for the past two days.