Minor eye issue - would like opinions

[Olimpia]

I am at a loss for what could be causing this (aside from maybe the lights, but I’ll let the forum see if my suspicions might be correct) so I am going to fill this out very thoroughly.

Current Problem - My panther Daedalus has been getting crusty in one eye. Not too much, just perhaps a corner of the eye, or it’s sealed shut in the morning. Nothing that a little bit of vet-prescribed ointment to keep the eye moist and a warm shower can’t help him flush it out. But it’s happened now a couple times in two weeks and I am unsure as to what may be causing it. His eyes look perfect and there is no sign of any sort of infection in his mouth.

CHAMELEON INFO:
Your Chameleon Panther chameleon | Male | About 14 months old | 11-12 months in my care
Handling Several times a week, sometimes daily.
Feeding Crickets, superworms, butterworms, and hornworms (occasionally wild caught mantids or grasshoppers) | He gets 2-3 feeders daily | Lately the gutload has been kale, apples, oranges, and a dry gutload following recipe ideas from Sandrachameleon's blog.
Supplements Rapashy supercal calcium w/o calcium only. I do not provide D3 because of how much natural sunshine my chameleons get a week, and I prefer to provide vitamins through variety of diet and gutloading | I dust every other feeding with the calcium.
Watering I have a mistking | I mist 20 minutes shortly after lights on, 5 minutes in the middle of the day, and 15 minutes in the late afternoon | Yes, I see him drink often.
Fecal Description Stool is normal, brown with white urates | He was last tested a bit ago, in April, but so far everything has been clear.
History About 2 months ago he broke the end of his tail and had it amputated. The necrosis persisted and another segment had to be more aggressively amputated but he has been clear since. The tail healed beautifully and he was prescribed antibiotics to protect against infections.

CAGE INFO:
Cage Type - The cage is a DIY wood and window screen cage (it was painted with latex wall paint along the outside but nothing was used on the inside, no sealants or anything. The water does not approach the walls of the cage so none is needed, and I didn't want to risk fumes or toxins on the inside of the cage | It measures about 5'L x 3'D x 4'H.
Lighting He has 4' Reptiglo 5.0 linear bulb for UVB, about a month old | Also, a 60w housebulb as a heat spot and three 4' 5000k linear fluorescents for the sake of more light and the plants. I wonder if these are perhaps to blame, but they've been there for a long time | The lights come on at 7am and go off at 7:30 pm.
Temperature The basking spot is at 82-85*F while the rest of the cage stays in the mid-70's* depending on what the AC is doing | Lowest nighttime temp would be about 75* | I have 3 temp gauges in his cage.
Humidity The humidity hovers in the high 60% all day except for when I mist, where it reaches mid 80% and lingers for a while before dropping | Misting and plants | I have a gauge in the cage.
Plants Yes, 2 pothos and 4-5 ficus.
Placement The cage is located in a separate bedroom, with my other chameleons | There is an AC vent in the room | Low traffic area | The top of the cage must be at about 6-6.5' tall
Location Melbourne, Fl.

Photos:

Him a few weeks ago. He looks exactly the same, with the stubby tail.

Thank you in advance!
I can only think of either the lights or the humidity, but the problem is only in one eye.

 

[gerhartrx]

Is it possible that he has something in his eye that is causing it to fester? When was the last shed?
Another thought is the weeping fig has sap that could have gotten into his eye.
I have been reading a lot on the forums about using Vitamin A liquid gels and putting a drop on a feeder for about three days which clears up some eye issues. I have been using this method for the past week on my veiled with good response. No more eye closing.

I was using teramycin which I think helped but didn't get rid of it.

Am I way off base. I certainly do not have all the knowledge to tell you what exactly. Just some ideas.

 

[mwebb]

Vitamin A

Hey Olimpia I have had that same issue with a few of my chams nothing real serious just a little clear cap. I use vitamin a as part of there supplement now and its all good.

 

[Olimpia]

Thank you, I can certainly try giving him Vit A for a day or two. Any other possible sugestions? He last shed about a month ago and I don't know about the plants, it's certainly a possibility.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I'd try switching the plants to schefflerra just to see if that is the issue. Its an easy quick fix and it may be the problem. You never had this issue when you free ranged right? Was he on diff plants in the free range?

 

[Carlton]

Thank you, I can certainly try giving him Vit A for a day or two. Any other possible sugestions? He last shed about a month ago and I don't know about the plants, it's certainly a possibility.

I tend to think if BOTH eyes are having the same problem it's more likely nutritional or long term exposure to something in the environment. If just one, its more likely a physical problem with that eye. Maybe a slight injury, low grade infection, that eye is just more sensitive because it has some sort of defect. I had a wc verrucosus with one eye that did this as he got older...crusty in the mornings but no swelling, discoloration, or trouble seeing. I would rinse it with sterile saline and a Q tip which seemed to help. A vet took a look with a scope and found increased vascularization in that eye. He thought that could be evidence of an old injury...maybe a scratch on the surface.

 

[JackP308]

Ive been troubleshooting something similar for weeks now.Ive tried Vit A, terramycin, misting ect. Nothing seemed to show any effect. After reading this thread I removed a new ficus tree from an enclosure and my carpet chameleon is already starting to show way more improvement within 20 mins. I really think It was my ficus causing his left eye to close.Im not completely sure or maybe my prior treatment and meds could be finally kicking in who knows.All I know is Ive checked on him 5 times in the last 20 mins since removed and every time both eyes wide as can be for the first time since arrival when I put the ficus in there 1.5weeks . I doubt its ironic an believe the sap caused it somehow. SO Id like to thank you for this thread it made me realize something and help me solve my issue and Im and very happy. I hope your guy gets better soon as well.

 

[Ace]

i had a minor eye issue too so i basically used saline solution and literally squirt the bottle in my chameleon's eye, fill his eye turret, and then gently rubbing his eye in circles and finally let him be

after a few days it got better, but i found out that it was a tiny tiny tiny piece of developing shed around his eye, btu had not shed his body yet

 

[Olimpia]

No, he's never had any eye issues while freeranging, and the plants were the same. I've used pothos and ficus almost exclusively for maybe the last year without issues, but I could use schefflera. The only thing that's changed lately is the new cage, but it has no chemicals on it so I shouldn't think it would be the cause?

I'm glad this thread helped you, Jack!