I would like to start by asking for help from the community with contributing to this important thread that I hope will be good enough to be made into a health sticky. Your time in contributing here will go towards helping the future generations of chameleons, chameleons like the ones that you love and care for.
NOTE FOR CONTRIBUTORS:
Sections:
PART I: Terminology
PART II: Proper Lighting
PART III: Vitamins and Nutrition for Healthy Eyes
PART IV: What not to put in the eyes
PART V: Steps to take when an eye problem occurs:
1) Read the sections and then read the comments to make sure that nobody else is already working on your section, I also wrote a sample below that can be used or not as a guideline.
2) After step 1, Submit a reply letting people know what section you are writing BEFORE you start writing.
3)Edit your reply to include your work as you progress.
4)I hope to get all the sections roughed out within a week THEN we make additions and adjustments according to community comments.
5) We cannot fight here, There is a lot of debate about vitamins and the like, so what I want, is to put a short summary of both sides where sides exist. The goal here is to centralize and summarize all the current knowledge on Eye health, not to argue one side or another.
In order to avoid heated debate in a health thread we should stick to the following convention when writing:
When there is a difference of opinions we can say
"Several view points exist regarding "______", the two leading hypotheses are:
A) _____ Summarize (Cite research)
B)______ Summarize (Cite research)
We can list pros and cons, of different lines of thinking but we want the reader to be the judge.
I think this is fair way of putting forth a valuable resource that may save the lives of many chameleons in the future.
Lastly! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTRIBUTING!!!!!!!
--------------------------
----SAMPLE THREAD STARTS HERE----
--------------------------
A NOTE TO NEW READERS:
THIS THREAD IS BRAND NEW WORK IN PROGRESS; PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION SERIOUSLY UNTIL WE HAVE MORE OR LESS AGREED. THIS NOTE WILL BE REMOVED AT THAT TIME.
Eye Health 101
Understanding chameleon eye health is important, because when eye problems do occur, they tend become very serious in a short amount of time. Knowing how to maintain proper eye care, can help to prevent potentially fatal situations.
This thread is not meant to be a substitute for vet care, rather the purpose of this thread is to serve as a compilation of community research extracted from experience and research. When in doubt ask and seek a knowledgeable vet.
*** Most importantly, if your chameleon has an eye problem, DON’T WAIT, seek help fast and act quick, eye problems can spread quick and take time to identify so you will need every second.***
PART I: Terminology: (We need more definitions and photos)
Turret:
Orbital:
Orbital Crest:
Nasolacrimal duct:
PART II: Proper Lighting
This is a common topic on the forums, because there is a wide variety of reptile lighting on the market today. Chameleon’s need UV lighting, UVA and UVB bulbs are in no short supply on the internet, but some are going to be better than others. For chameleons, there are only a few generally accepted lighting solutions.
(Here we need photos of Non-CFL UVB bulbs and some brand names)
(We also need something about WHY it is preferable to use long, full-length, Non-CFL bulbs. We should also describe how CFL bulbs are any bulbs that fit in a normal incandescent light socket, because I did not know this myself >< I feel stupid. It will also help to show photos of what happens after exposure to CFL UVB Bulbs. It might be nice to talk about the distance these bulbs should be from the chameleons.)
PART III: Vitamins and Nutrition for Healthy Eyes
Good nutrition has a direct link to eye health in chameleon’s making sure that your chameleon has the right amount of specific vitamins. Some of these vitamins may not be found in store-bought reptile supplements or feeder insects, and are difficult to include into raised feeder insects.
(we need a summary of the ‘vitamin A thread’ here, including some photos, different methods of actually supplementing vitamin A, and some numbers, we need to explain that when dealing with vitamins, keepers need to know the exact weight range of their chameleon, because they CAN overdose, but the fear of overdose should not dissuade people from providing their chameleon the supplement they need!, we should include a reminder that if they are new or unsure… they are welcome to ask. It is important to explain how vitamin A is tied to eye health, including the swelling of the nasolacrimal duct, which can make a blockage.) (any other eye related nutrition information)
PART IV: What not to put in the eyes
(This should be about eye drop’s. Saline rinse for eyes (99.5% Distilled Water), is not the same as throwing iodized salt in a cup and shaking it. I was reading some past threads where people actually did that ><. We should include the names of some common vet prescribed eye drops and what they have been prescribed for.)
PART V: Steps to take when an eye problem occurs:
Saline drops can be used initially in the case where simple grit or dirt made its way into the chameleon’s turret; however it is always advisable to schedule a vet appointment right away, in case there is an infection/swelling because the chameleon may need a ‘culture and sensitivity’ and antibiotics.
A hot compress (no more than 90 Degrees F) is often recommended to reduce swelling in the eye, remember not to block the nose holes with the compress.
I have found it helpful to take a single photo of the eye each morning, from the same angle and the same distance away, this shows weather or not the treatment is working, or if the eye is actually getting worse. When we get worried we can stare for so long that we actually forget how it looked before.
(I am sure we can add additional information here along with photos.)
------------------------------
ORIGINAL POST PRE-EDIT
Can we get a sticky on "Lighting and Eye Health"
We have a "poop thread" so why not... since eye problems can be so diverse it would really be helpful if we put together a sticky thread on eye health.
It would be great to have some photos showing what "quality" UV bulbs look like with some brand+model recommendations (if possible). In addition to the bulbs, we could provide info about what is recommended for good eye health, such as proper vitamin A, as well as the first steps to take when a keeper notices an eye problem, and some common procedures vets do in response.
I don't know if this is possible but I would really appreciate it! Feel free to use the photos from my little guy's infection if it could help at all.
-----------------------------
NOTE FOR CONTRIBUTORS:
Sections:
PART I: Terminology
PART II: Proper Lighting
PART III: Vitamins and Nutrition for Healthy Eyes
PART IV: What not to put in the eyes
PART V: Steps to take when an eye problem occurs:
1) Read the sections and then read the comments to make sure that nobody else is already working on your section, I also wrote a sample below that can be used or not as a guideline.
2) After step 1, Submit a reply letting people know what section you are writing BEFORE you start writing.
3)Edit your reply to include your work as you progress.
4)I hope to get all the sections roughed out within a week THEN we make additions and adjustments according to community comments.
5) We cannot fight here, There is a lot of debate about vitamins and the like, so what I want, is to put a short summary of both sides where sides exist. The goal here is to centralize and summarize all the current knowledge on Eye health, not to argue one side or another.
In order to avoid heated debate in a health thread we should stick to the following convention when writing:
When there is a difference of opinions we can say
"Several view points exist regarding "______", the two leading hypotheses are:
A) _____ Summarize (Cite research)
B)______ Summarize (Cite research)
We can list pros and cons, of different lines of thinking but we want the reader to be the judge.
I think this is fair way of putting forth a valuable resource that may save the lives of many chameleons in the future.
Lastly! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTRIBUTING!!!!!!!
--------------------------
----SAMPLE THREAD STARTS HERE----
--------------------------
A NOTE TO NEW READERS:
THIS THREAD IS BRAND NEW WORK IN PROGRESS; PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION SERIOUSLY UNTIL WE HAVE MORE OR LESS AGREED. THIS NOTE WILL BE REMOVED AT THAT TIME.
Eye Health 101
Understanding chameleon eye health is important, because when eye problems do occur, they tend become very serious in a short amount of time. Knowing how to maintain proper eye care, can help to prevent potentially fatal situations.
This thread is not meant to be a substitute for vet care, rather the purpose of this thread is to serve as a compilation of community research extracted from experience and research. When in doubt ask and seek a knowledgeable vet.
*** Most importantly, if your chameleon has an eye problem, DON’T WAIT, seek help fast and act quick, eye problems can spread quick and take time to identify so you will need every second.***
PART I: Terminology: (We need more definitions and photos)
Turret:
Orbital:
Orbital Crest:
Nasolacrimal duct:
PART II: Proper Lighting
This is a common topic on the forums, because there is a wide variety of reptile lighting on the market today. Chameleon’s need UV lighting, UVA and UVB bulbs are in no short supply on the internet, but some are going to be better than others. For chameleons, there are only a few generally accepted lighting solutions.
(Here we need photos of Non-CFL UVB bulbs and some brand names)
(We also need something about WHY it is preferable to use long, full-length, Non-CFL bulbs. We should also describe how CFL bulbs are any bulbs that fit in a normal incandescent light socket, because I did not know this myself >< I feel stupid. It will also help to show photos of what happens after exposure to CFL UVB Bulbs. It might be nice to talk about the distance these bulbs should be from the chameleons.)
PART III: Vitamins and Nutrition for Healthy Eyes
Good nutrition has a direct link to eye health in chameleon’s making sure that your chameleon has the right amount of specific vitamins. Some of these vitamins may not be found in store-bought reptile supplements or feeder insects, and are difficult to include into raised feeder insects.
(we need a summary of the ‘vitamin A thread’ here, including some photos, different methods of actually supplementing vitamin A, and some numbers, we need to explain that when dealing with vitamins, keepers need to know the exact weight range of their chameleon, because they CAN overdose, but the fear of overdose should not dissuade people from providing their chameleon the supplement they need!, we should include a reminder that if they are new or unsure… they are welcome to ask. It is important to explain how vitamin A is tied to eye health, including the swelling of the nasolacrimal duct, which can make a blockage.) (any other eye related nutrition information)
PART IV: What not to put in the eyes
(This should be about eye drop’s. Saline rinse for eyes (99.5% Distilled Water), is not the same as throwing iodized salt in a cup and shaking it. I was reading some past threads where people actually did that ><. We should include the names of some common vet prescribed eye drops and what they have been prescribed for.)
PART V: Steps to take when an eye problem occurs:
Saline drops can be used initially in the case where simple grit or dirt made its way into the chameleon’s turret; however it is always advisable to schedule a vet appointment right away, in case there is an infection/swelling because the chameleon may need a ‘culture and sensitivity’ and antibiotics.
A hot compress (no more than 90 Degrees F) is often recommended to reduce swelling in the eye, remember not to block the nose holes with the compress.
I have found it helpful to take a single photo of the eye each morning, from the same angle and the same distance away, this shows weather or not the treatment is working, or if the eye is actually getting worse. When we get worried we can stare for so long that we actually forget how it looked before.
(I am sure we can add additional information here along with photos.)
------------------------------
ORIGINAL POST PRE-EDIT
Can we get a sticky on "Lighting and Eye Health"
We have a "poop thread" so why not... since eye problems can be so diverse it would really be helpful if we put together a sticky thread on eye health.
It would be great to have some photos showing what "quality" UV bulbs look like with some brand+model recommendations (if possible). In addition to the bulbs, we could provide info about what is recommended for good eye health, such as proper vitamin A, as well as the first steps to take when a keeper notices an eye problem, and some common procedures vets do in response.
I don't know if this is possible but I would really appreciate it! Feel free to use the photos from my little guy's infection if it could help at all.
-----------------------------
Last edited:
