eye problems! :(

[joeythegeck]

I have two leopard geckos who live in separate tanks beside one and other. A while back, we noticed that one of the geckos had what looked like skin along the top of his eyeball, and also that the eye had gone very white, and he always keeps it closed. Last night I was very upset to discover that this had happened to the other gecko. Could anyone give me some advice? We plan to find a vet but that isn't easy where we live, so does anyone have any advice for in the meantime? Thanks :/

 

[Art Geckos]

Here's some good advice from a Vet...

http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-health/lizard-health/leopard-gecko-cant-open-eye.aspx

"Eye problems in leopard geckos can be serious. So, my first suggestion is to make an appointment with a qualified herp veterinarian to have your leopard gecko’s eye examined.

In the meantime, if you feel up to it, you can try to gently flush some sterile saline (used for contact lens wearers) into the leopard gecko’s affected eye. You can purchase sterile saline (get one that is preservative-free) at any pharmacy, and gently squirt saline into and around your leopard gecko’s eye. Do not force it under your leopard gecko’s eyelids and do not apply any pressure. Also, do not allow the tip of the saline bottle to touch your leopard gecko’s eye or lids.

In some cases, leopard gecko eye problems can be caused by parasites. I have seen thin, string-type worms in the conjunctival sac of the eyes in pet leopard geckos. Occasionally, leopard gecko eye problems occur as the result of a foreign body, such as a piece of grit or plant material that lodges around the eye itself or under the eyelid. Other leopard gecko eye problems are the result of nutritional deficiency, such as hypovitaminosis A (not enough vitamin A in the diet). In some cases, leopard gecko eye problems occur as a result of trauma to the eye, from a scratch, bite or abrasion. Infection can occur on the leopard gecko eye or under the eyelids, as well, and, in some cases, a leopard gecko eye problem is indicative of a respiratory infection or other systemic infection.

As you can see, there can be many causes of leopard gecko eye problems, so if a simple eye flush with saline doesn’t take care of the problem, I would strongly recommend you seek the assistance of a herp veterinarian who can diagnose and treat the problem."