# Discoloured rat eye!



## spirited_Away (Oct 23, 2008)

My rat, Dee, is a two year old fancy rat, black eyes and brown coated. Only tonight, i have notice that her eye is slighty poking out and that there is a white circle inside the eye. As though a white pupil. I have no idea what this could be, i only notcied it half hour ago. It wasn't there this morning, or this afternoon, not from what i could see. 

She shares her cage with two other females, the same age, i feed them all on rat nuggets, and clean their cage daily. if anyone has any ideas or experience with this, please share! 

As soon as the vets open tomorrow, i'm taking her straight in to see what they suggest. But any ideas in the mean time would be fantastic. 

Thanks.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

The white circle on the eye might be a cataract. However I would be most concerned about the eye actually starting to pop out - which indicates some sort of pressure behind the eyeball pushing it forward. Maybe an abscess? Or tumor? Hopefully the prognosis is good. Don't be afraid to have the eye completely removed. Rats don't rely on their eyesight too much, so she would adjust just fine.


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## spirited_Away (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks for your reply. Awh poor Dee, i cant imagine her with only one eye. poor thing. Have no luck with these ratties, ive only recently had my other two girls leg tumors removed. Was an odd coincidence that they had tumors on the same legs at the same time. Geez. 

Thanks again, taking her to vets today, so hopefully they'l be able to sort it.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If her eye is bulging a little, you have to keep an eye on that. But if you only think you are seeing that because of the disturbing (to you) cataract, then its probably just fine. Some rats get cataracts, some don't. It's glaucoma that can be the problem and cause eye removals.

But here is a picture of a developing cataract in my first rescue Lucky (RIP)










this is glaucoma..large bulging eye on Lady (RIP)









Glaucoma with Tepeu









and after the surgery...she's a happy bouncy girl who adapted well.


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## margar (Apr 10, 2010)

My rat, Pete also has a slightly bulging eye, although I haven't noticed a white spot. the size disparity isn't noticible at all times, but I notice it occastionally. It's most noticible when he's sleeping on his side and his right eye doesn't close all the way...

Should I be worried?


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