What is wrong with my hamster? He will not open his eyes. Is he dying of old age, a disease, or allergies?

PLEASE HELP ME!!! My hamster named Hope has been acting stangely since this morning. He won't open his eyes, is sneezing, and his breathing a little labored. His poop is normal, he still has energy, and I believe he is eating and drinking. He is a bit over one year old, I believe. We have no vets around our area that deal with hamsters, and I asked the pet store where we got Hope.
If you can help me, please answer, and if not, please pray for Hope. Praying is the most powerful form of medicine.

I assume the pet store gave you little to no useful information on your hamster's situation.

Could be several things.

The symptoms of an allergy can vary but may include sneezing, wheezing, skin irritation, runny eyes, fur loss.

Signs that a hamster has a cold are normally sneezing and runny nose. In more severe cases the hamster may have runny eyes, lethargy, weight loss, refusal to eat and drink or laboured breathing/wheeziness.

Occasionally a hamster may get a sticky eye where the eyelids are fused together and older hamsters may be prone to 'sticky eyes'. This is often because a hamster may have something it its eye such as a piece of dust or it could be because the hamster's cage is placed in a draught or could be a symptom of a cold or allergy. The closed eye should be wiped with a small piece of cotton wool soaked in luke warm water. This is usually sufficient to open the eye but if not the eyelids can gently be pulled apart. Source(s): http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamst...

It wouldn't be of old age...I've had hamsters for years at a time...
have you changed its food?
The only thing I can recommend is keep Hope comfortable and warm.
Maybe a new stress in its life?
Look on yellowpages.com for more numbers to vets you can call
if he wont open his eyes it either mean he probally has a disease so get him checked by a veterinarian
it sounds like he has a cold . keep him warm and he may recover from it .

perhaps clean the cage area he uses most a bit more often while he is sick.
well, i think you really should take him to a vet that does deal with hamsters. the pet store's advice is not prfessional, but take into account what they said to do. hamsters usually live for about three years, so old age is not really a possibility.if you can do nothing but pray, he will probably die.
Sometimes their eyes get stuck due to gunk, wash her eyes with warm water. If that doesn't work, take her to the vet, praying isn't gonna help you.