Cataracts

[Jess565]

I'm wondering what experience people have of cataracts with their guineas, our Harold developed cataracts in both eyes about two years ago. He's fine and adapted very well but his eyes have recently been clearing and do not look very cloudy anymore!? Can cataracts improve or disperse? It's hard to say if he can or cannot see as he adapted so well to his surroundings

 

[Wiebke]

I'm wondering what experience people have of cataracts with their guineas, our Harold developed cataracts in both eyes about two years ago. He's fine and adapted very well but his eyes have recently been clearing and do not look very cloudy anymore!? Can cataracts improve or disperse? It's hard to say if he can or cannot see as he adapted so well to his surroundings

Hi!

Cataracts are not static and can change throughout life, especially congenital (young age onset) cataracts. In most cases it rather goes the other way and gets worse rather than better. Count yourself lucky!

You can imagine a cataract like trying to see through paper of varying thickness, if that helps you. The less opaque a cataract, the better the perception of larger blobs of colour and light.
Piggies do adapt with their other senses compensating and taking over brain functions. In guinea pigs sight is actually their weakest sense as they have mostly evolved to live and move in thick undergrowth and don't have good depth perception in any case. Over longer distances (more than 2-3 feet) they react to sudden movement (predator attacks). While for us humans sight is our strongest sense, so we find its loss in many ways more incapacitating than a guinea pig.