Gecko astigamtism?

[syntheticreality]

I was looking at my APTOR one day, and I noticed that one of her eyeballs seems to be shaped greatly different from the other. I have always wondered about her vision because she seems to miss crickets a lot and doesn't find meal worms most of the time. She is also VERY VERY calm, so I suppose that could be a product of not seeing well.

I dont have any pics, but if you look at the eye from the front, the lense on it seems to stick out much further than the other eye. When I first noticed it, I was concerned that it was some sort of infection. Some days it almost seems less bowed than others, so I am not sure. I don't want to waste a trip to the vet if it is nothing. I noticed it a week or two ago and the condition has certainly not worsened. There seems to be nothing wrong with the eye lid. she can close it fine. It doesn't water, it is not discolored, she doesn't seem to rub it on anything like its itchy. Can geckos have some form of astigmatism?

 

[supersonicgecko]

i have astigmatism, and I'm doing okay. don't know if a gecko can but seems harmless

 

[syntheticreality]

yes, but i dont know if that's what it is. Has anyone ever experienced this?

 

[syntheticreality]

her eyeball looks real big today

**edit** it was real big when i took her out, then a couple minutes later its back to normal size. It's so weird!

 

[bitterbeauty]

If her eye is swollen that could be something health related? Maybe I am not understanding you properly. Astigmatism of the cannot seen physically it is a malfunction of the inner eye.

 

[syntheticreality]

well her eyeball blows up and shrinks back down, within minutes... I have NO clue what it is.

 

[fallen_angel]

I don't know if leopard geckos do this, but I have heard of bearded dragons bulging out their eyes to make them more threatening to other beardies or another predator..

here is some info that will tell you if it's anything serious:
http://www.anapsid.org/eyebulge.html

 

[syntheticreality]

Thanks, Jess.

From the above site:
"Swollen/Distended Eyeball
In all reptiles, bilateral or unilateral swelling may be associated with an infection inside the eye itself, or behind the eye in or behind the socket; left untreated, it can lead to retinal detachment, blindness or enucleation (removal of the eyeball). Or, it may due to an increase in intraocular pressure, often a sign of infection, injury or some other health problem; left untreated, it can lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Since the cause cannot be determined by the herp keeper, nor are appropriate treatments available over-the-counter, these reptiles need to be seen by a reptile vet.

In chelonians, swollen eyes may also be associated with infected eustachian tubes. Since chelonians fed a proper diet rarely get vitamin A deficiencies, such swellings are rarely resolved by increasing vitamin A orally or by injections. If your vet immediately diagnoses a vitamin A deficiency without doing anything to check for infection, or doesn't appear to be up on proper diet, it would be best to get a second opinion from another reptile vet."


The very odd thing in my situation is that the condition of the swelling varies within minutes. The first time I noticed her eye was swollen, I found her with her eye right up against the wall of the enclosure. Perhaps it is a symptom of some sort of abrasion? Some days I will look at it and it is not the slightest bit swollen. Last night when I first took her out , her eye looked at though it had been stretched along only one axis.

 

[fallen_angel]

You're very welcome I agree that your situation is very different since it's off and on, but I think the best thing to do would be to take her to a respected/trusted herp vet. I hope she's okay, this really is some odd behavior.. keep us updated!!

 

[geckoluv2187]

Did you ever get your gecko to a vet? Any updates on the eye?