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JuneBug wants you to know about pea eye.
You check on your guinea pigs one morning and notice something strange: a fleshy bit of tissue sticks out from underneath one of their eyes. This was what happened at HappyCavy a few years ago. One day, surprise! The Humans noticed that JuneBug had a tiny pinkish-white mass protruding from under her left eye. This, our friends, is pea eye.
Pea eye is a guinea pig eye condition when the pink, fleshy area underneath a guinea pig’s eye sticks out permanently. But is pea eye dangerous? Does it hurt? And what is the treatment for pea eye?
The conjunctiva protects and lubricates the eye with tears and other liquids.
Fatty Eye, Pea Eye — What’s the Difference?
First, it’s important that we understand what we’re talking about. While the terms fatty eye and pea eye are often used interchangeable, they refer to different but similar conditions. There’s another eye condition, called flesh eye, that’s included in a roundup of common but harmless guinea pig eye conditions:
- Fatty eye is a pink or pink-white mass that sticks out underneath the eye and over the fold of skin tucked inside the lower eye lid that covers the white part of the eye.
- Flesh eye is a pink or red-pink mass that protrudes from the corner of the eye where the upper and lower lids meet.
- Pea eye is a swollen protrusion that sticks out from the small sac that sits beneath the eyeball.
While each is a bit different, all three look like a mass that sticks out from the the conjunctival sac — the pink skin underneath the eye. All three are typically referred to by vets as conjunctival swelling.
What Causes Pea Eye?
These conditions are caused when fat, liquid or a mass gets pushed out from where it would normally be hidden inside the eye cavity. Each issue may be related to a guinea pig’s age, weight, a previous infection or even a genetic condition that predisposes them to develop fatty eye, flesh eye or pea eye.
It’s important to note that fatty eye is most often caused by obesity. Plus-size guinea pigs tend to develop fatty eye because, we assume, as guinea pigs get chubbier, the pink area under their eyes needs to go somewhere. And so it sticks out. (How’s that for an overly simple explanation?)
Is Pea Eye Painful?
Pea eye is generally not painful, except in rare circumstances. The same goes for flesh eye and fatty eye. If you suspect your guinea pig might be in pain, closely watch its eating habits. Remember: Guinea pigs are experts at hiding their illnesses. Closely monitor your guinea pig’s water and food intake. A sick guinea pig will usually stop or limit its eating when in pain.
JuneBug saw the vet for her pea eye, but it doesn’t bother her and hasn’t needed treatment.
How to Treat Pea Eye?
Fortunately, pea eye doesn’t usually need to be treated, as was the case with JuneBug, because it’s often harmless and doesn’t hurt the affected guinea pig, according to a study of small animal eye conditions. And it’s the same case with pea eye’s cousins fatty eye and flesh eye. Guinea pigs are rarely bothered by these conditions.
If you suspect the condition may be bothering your guinea pig — or if you notice discharge from their eyes or excessively watery eyes — schedule an appointment with a guinea pig expert vet as soon as you can. Pea eye and fatty eye protrusions may be removed by laser if they’re causing issues, and surgery may be needed for fatty eye if there’s eye irritation.
A good diet and plenty of exercise make JuneBug a happy, healthy guinea pig.
How to Prevent Pea Eye
The best cure to these guinea pig eye conditions is prevention, because there isn’t much that can be done about fatty eye, flesh eye or pea eye once it develops.
Since fatty eye can occur in overweight guinea pigs, help your guinea pig stay active. Make sure that your guinea pig’s diet consists of high-quality hay, fresh water and limited hay pellets, and feed fruits and vegetables rarely. Plus, engagement opportunities such as toys and floortime are other ways to help keep your guinea pig healthy and engaged with its environment.
Have You Cared for a Guinea Pig with an Eye Condition?
Do you have a special pea eye guinea pig like JuneBug?
If you’ve had to care for a guinea pig with an eye condition — fleshy eye, fatty eye or pea eye — tell us about it in the comments! What condition did they have? And how did you care for your special cavy? We’d love to hear your stories!
