New Hatchling - Eye Deformity

[Barbel]

I am so excited that my little hatchling came out this evening! After one season of no babies and a bad first clutch and one egg from this clutch dying, I finally get to prove out my female Bell Hybino! YAY! Unfortunately, the little guy does have an eye issue. I am assuming it is from my temps fluctuating a bit, even though the other babies have all come out perfect. I saw an earlier post with a hatchling whose eye looks the same, so I am hopeful. Anyway, here are some pics. Momma is Bell Hybino, Daddy is Mack Snow. This makes baby number 5 for me this season. He has a cool pattern!

Here I come!

I really like his pattern. I have never hatched one like this.

That is the best picture I could get of it. It's smaller and more sunken than the other; kind of squinty. The other eye looks completely normal.

 

[leopardgeckolover]

very nice pattern.. unique.. =) i like the head.. =)

 

[Barbel]

Thanks! His pattern is interesting, but I am assuming he is just a Mack Snow. He seems to be doing okay this morning.
Is there anything I should do to help his eye out? I really want him to do well.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Just make sure the little baby has an upper eyelid and can close that eye. If it cannot close the eye, it will dry out and shrivel up... and could become infected.

 

[Barbel]

Just make sure the little baby has an upper eyelid and can close that eye. If it cannot close the eye, it will dry out and shrivel up... and could become infected.

Oh... I don't think that he does. I don't know, the eye is pretty small. What should I do if he doesn't?

 

[Barbel]

Okay... I checked on my little guy and he does not have an eyelid over the smaller eye. His other eye looks okay and I was able to get him to blink the good one. What do I need to do get keep it from getting an infection? I know he will likely loose that eye, but I want to avoid any further complications.

 

[acpart]

Several times a day, get a drop of clean water on your finger and drip it on each eye (do the good one too to be sure). This way you will keep the eyes moist. Give it some time. I have had several hatchlings with eye issues and have generally had positive outcomes. With these tiny guys it's very hard to tell what they do or don't have. I have one hatchling that I've posted about elsewhere whose eye I've been looking at with a magnifying glass ever since she was born 10 days ago. I still can't tell whether or not she has an eye and how much of her eyelid is missing rather than deformed. As time goes by, you will figure out if it's in pain or unable to eat and thrive. Good luck.

Aliza

 

[RampantReptiles]

Im having the same issue with one of my hatchlings. His face looks almost identical to yours! I think my guy might be blind. I dont see a pupil in the good eye and i think that eye is also a little small as well.
Heres a link to the thread http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=39908

To be honest I havent been putting water on the geckos eye. Every time I check in on him/her (once or twice a day) the eye is moist as if he/she is doing it him/herself or all the time spent in the moist hide? idk

 

[Barbel]

Im having the same issue with one of my hatchlings. His face looks almost identical to yours! I think my guy might be blind. I dont see a pupil in the good eye and i think that eye is also a little small as well.
Heres a link to the thread http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=39908

To be honest I havent been putting water on the geckos eye. Every time I check in on him/her (once or twice a day) the eye is moist as if he/she is doing it him/herself or all the time spent in the moist hide? idk

I saw you post earlier that's why I was thought mine might be okay. My temps did not fluctuate nearly as much as yours though, only a couple degrees. From what I saw, it did not go below 83 and didn't go above 85.5. Is yours really tiny? Mine seems to be very small. I am worried about him being able to eat also. I know he isn't blind, at least not yet, because he reacts to my hands before I touch him. He is fairly active though. He perks up when I open his bin and he even his hissed at me once. I am scared that this will happen to my other babies as well. I hope both of ours turn out okay! I might check back with you in a couple weeks so maybe we can compare progress.

 

[Alusdra]

If it turns out that the eye is not able to be kept properly hydrated and is getting ulcerated and/or infected, you could see if there is a vet that can enucleate the eye for you under anesthesia. Then he could be adopted out as a pet (which will probably have to happen anyway).

 

[RampantReptiles]

oddly enough my guy seems to be doing ok. Ive fed him slurry twice now. He has had his first shed and the colors are coming out nice. Just too bad about the eye thing. Yes he is very small. I weighed him 1 week after birth and he was at 3g so prolly was less than that when born.
Im not totally sure about the blind thing, still kind of early to tell. I guess he has eaten a few mealies, otherwise Im not really sure what is sustaining him. Im going to start giving him slurry more often just in case.
He has a very nice personality for a baby, only hissed at me once. Not real spazzy so if he does make it im sure he will be a wonderful pet.
Good luck with yours and i would definitely like to know how things go.

 

[RampantReptiles]

curious... why would you put water on the eye? Isnt water an eye irritant? Why not like eye drops or something?

 

[Barbel]

oddly enough my guy seems to be doing ok.

curious... why would you put water on the eye? Isnt water an eye irritant? Why not like eye drops or something?

I'm glad that he doing well. That makes me feel hopeful! I think, not totally sure, that he is able to squint the bad eye. I don't think it closes all the way, but it looks like he can twitch it a little. I have only put water on his eyes twice. He really hates it and I don't want to stress him out. I think purified water might be okay to put on since all the minerals and junk have been filtered out, which I don't have, but I got to thinking about all the calcium that is in our hard water. If he isn't able to blink, then he can't flush out his eyes and I don't know if that would have an effect or not. I don't know. I see how it can keep it moist for a short time but I don't know... Just watching him for now.

 

[acpart]

curious... why would you put water on the eye? Isnt water an eye irritant? Why not like eye drops or something?

I agree that saline would be better and eye drops would be a good idea if prescribed by a vet. I and the gecko have been doing fine with water so I'll keep going that way.

ALiza