Vet trip for closed eye?

[Flummox]

I have a male syrian called Wellington who is just over a year old. Last night I noticed his right eye wasn't opening properly. I thought it might just be stuck with sleep and when I picked him up to have a closer look he managed to open it fully. I thought it was just a one off thing but tonight the same eye is stuck again. I wiped it with some boiled and cooled water but didn't manage to unstick it and I stopped trying because I didn't want to aggravate it too much. He seems perfectly lively and happy and his eye doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. I've read some other threads where hamsters have been given eye drops but I'm wondering if a vet trip is necessary? Obviously I'm happy to take him if he needs to go and I don't want him to suffer but if this is something that will clear up in a few days I'd rather not. Does anyone have any advice?

[wiggle'smommy]

I'm not sure whether it will clear up but vet trips can be very stressful for them, I'd only take him if the eye is inflamed, has odd discharge or seems to be causing him pain/discomfort. Hope his eye gets better soon!

If it's really worrying you or seems to be getting worse you could go to the vet (without Wellington) and ask if he has any eyedrops you could give him.

[shazzy]

Sometimes it can take a few days of bathing for an eye to heal up, he may have got some dust or bedding in it. My little Chinese had trouble with a sticky eye recently - It was closed tight and when it did open it would only do so half way. I bathed it with cooled boiled water with a tiny pinch of salt twice a day for 3 days and then the following day it was fine.

So I would say continu to bathe it for a couple of days and if it then doesn't open or it looks sore or inflamed pop him along to the vets

[Flummox]

Thanks for your help I've just checked on him and his eye and now open and looks clear. I'm hoping it was just a bit of irritation and nothing worse. I'll keep bathing it and I'll nip into the vets for some drops if it gets any worse.

[KatiePillow]

With alfie's eye, he'd obviously been irritated by it because his last line had gone red and bald, whereas when he just had a sticky eye he didn't get agitated about it, I'd only really go to the vet if it's causing him discomfort, because they do seem to get sticky eyes a lot!

For alfies eye infection the vet gave him fucithalmic, and it cleared right up in 3/4 days? So if it ever does come to that, I felt that medicine was good.