**Eye problem**

B

Blakekiser123

New Member
I have a veiled chameleon that I beleive to be around a year old now. He's in 2x2x4 screen in cage and has a 5.0 day compact uvb bulb and heat lamp. HIs basking spot is around 93 degrees and his cage stays around 78-82 degrees.
About three days ago he started closing his left eye. And he only opens it when he's startled or about to attack his crickets. I've tried bathing him twice and it temporarily works mostly while I'm bathing him. He's very active still and hasn't shed for a while. But he looks very healthy other than that. What could be the problem ? I heard there's some moisturizing eye drops I might want to buy and try
 
From everything I have read compact bulbs can lead to blindness. You should replace with a horizontal tube fixture.
 
whilst there is a chance it is the light..

The problem could be down to many factors, I would try an source a uvb 5 strip light, I would also recommend having a reptile vet take a look, also if you have time could you fill in the how to ask for help form linked below, and if possible some picture's..
 
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 2x2x4
Lighting - 5.0 compact
Temperature - 94 in basking 78-82 through out cage
Humidity - 65%to 70%, spray 3 times a day and have live ficus
Plants - Ficus
Placement - Was in living room, but recently moved cage near bedroom window so he could get some sunlight with the window open. Top of cage is about 6 ft high from floor. There is an air vent the blows in his direction but I have a towel that is draped down the side of that cage so that he isn't hit with direct airflow and to kee his cage warmer.
Location -Wilmington nc

Current Problem - left eye won't open up unless I walk up on him or he's attacking a cricket. I've bathed him and it temporally worked. Mostly while he was being bathed. I won't be able to post pictures until tomorrow because he's asleep now


Pictures are helpful
 
I highly doubt it is the light. The compacts have been given a bad rap from something that happened many, many years ago when a certain brand( I think it was Zilla) was producing too much UVB and was causing blindness. This problems was rectified and there are many people who use them(I prefer the tubes) safely today. If he is only closing one eye, it could be the start of an eye infection, or possibly a vitamin A deficiency. Does the eye have any discharge coming out or anything like that? Can you post a pic of the closed eye? Sometimes sinus blockages can cause eye problems, but they are usually present with a bump on the bridge of the nose or the eye itself will have a bump or appear puffy.
 
No there's nothing coming from his eye and he'll open it whenever he wants to. The majority of the time it's closed though. I'll post pictures in the morning he's asleep now. What provides him vitamin A?
 
Here's the pictures
 

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I don't see anything that would lead me to think it was a sinus problem. Like I said usually the eyes are puffy looking, like a sac in the front of the eye. Have you tried flushing the eye with plain saline solution(the kind for contacts). There could be something stuck in there. Did he recently shed??? There could be some type of infection brewing inside that you cannot see. I would try flusihing the eye out and if there is no improvement, then I would get him to a vet. They could prescribe an antibiotic ointment if there is suspicion of infection. I would not screw around with it. You would not want him to lose his eyesight. If that happens, he will have trouble eating on his own. And Vitamin A is provided through a multi vitamin(are you giving him one?) and also through gutloading of your insects.
 
I have a panther cham who has been having the same issue on and off. I got him end of June, and mid august he started closing one eye, and looked like your chams eye, and would open it when he wanted to as well. He is the perfect picture of health, no signs of infection ever. I freaked out and started him on terramycin, which did nothing but make him mad because I had to get close to him lol. Since then, it seems to happen every few weeks to a month or so. I have come to the conclusion he has chronic dry eye and it flares up with the wonderful Canadian weather changes. I mist 3 times a day, but he hates being sprayed, goes all kung fu on his branch, regardless he gets directly sprayed once a day. After a few days he is back to normal, like it didn't even happen.

I had also tried re-arranging his light when it first happened. The tube light was over his favorite chillin spot, so I moved it to the front of the cage. This did help.

In my opinion, no need to run off to the vet just yet, hold off for a few days, increase your misting, and even use the shower method. If you see any oozing/dry crust from the eyes, nose or mouth go to a vet, because the others are right, you don't want to take chances with a cham's eye sight.
 
Yeah he's not showing any signs of illness. And his last shed was about a month ago. I gut load the crickets with flukers Orange cubes, potatoes, organic cat food and apples. He doesn't seem bothered by it at all either. When I walk up to the cage he opens both eyes and it seems as soon as he recognizes me hell close his eye again.
 
Our veiled was having the same issue. Our issue was having him in a glass enclosure and the humidity levels were too high, leaving no air flow through the enclosure. We took him to an exotic reptile vet in Orlando and have been feeding him medicine by mouth for his eye along with a vitamin suppliment. He is looking so much better and his eye opens from time to time. We now have a 24" x 24" x 48" screen enclosure. I would take him to your closest exotic vet (also, apparently eye drops are not recommened. The first local vet we saw has us apply drops and the protective film over his eye didn't allow the antibiotic to work properly)
 
My male veiled had this issue when he was about 6 months old. I got saline and would rinse his eye everyday and put him in a shower. After 2 maybe 3 days of doing this his eye was back to good. So maybe try doing some saline and see if that helps :)
 
Blakekiser123 said:
Yeah he's not showing any signs of illness. And his last shed was about a month ago. I gut load the crickets with flukers Orange cubes, potatoes, organic cat food and apples. He doesn't seem bothered by it at all either. When I walk up to the cage he opens both eyes and it seems as soon as he recognizes me hell close his eye again.
Click to expand...

You need to work on your gut loading. The only thing you are feeding that has any nutrition is apples. Forget the rest and use things like kale, sweet potato, collard greens, mustard greens, sweet yellow bell peppers.
You need to add a dry gut load also. Several are sold here on the forum. If you don't find what you want let he know, and I will reccomend a few.
I use water crystals that are well hydrated, as a water source.

Make sure he has the correct calcium and minerals/vitimans.

Try to address these problems as soon as you are able to do so.
 
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