Why is my leopard gecko's eye cloudy, stuck shut, and bubbly?

Thanks for reaching out about Draco and including a photo. Vitamin A deficiencies are common in geckos and can lead to secondary opportunistic ocular infections. Insects need to be properly gut loaded to provide a more appropriate diet than plain crickets or mealworms can provide. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide ophthalmic antibiotics and a possible vitamin A injection. Continue to clean with moistened soft towel but this is not a cure. There are other possibilities such as a scratched cornea or other trauma. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Spyro and including photos. A common malady in insectivorous lizards is abnormal shedding and secondary infections around the eyes, usually related to low vitamin A in the diet. Insects need to be varied and gut loaded with green and yellow/orange/red vegetables (a source of vitamin A). A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. An injection of vitamin A, irrigating the eye area withy sterile saline and topical medications can help. If the cornea becomes dry, the eye could be lost. Good luck.

Hi there. It sounds like Aang could have the beginning of a Vitamin A deficiency. If you are feeding the same feeder insect all the time (crickets and mealworms only) you are at risk of causing hypovitaminosis A. Not only do you have to vary the types of insects you are feeding her, you also have to preload or dust the insects with Vitamin A before you feed them to Aang. This is a product you would want to get: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=31924 Follow the feeding instructions on the bottle. Double check all your husbandry. You didn't mention the temperature in the cage or the lighting. You need to make sure this is correct. This article should help: https://www.thespruce.com/leopard-geckos-1236911 Best wishes to you. Hope this was helpful! Dr. Amber

Your gecko may be getting ready to shed. The eyes turn cloudy and shed like the skin. Make sure there is enough moisture in Bandit's enclosure to allow for proper shedding. You can mist/spray the enclosure with water to help increase humidity. A vitamin deficiency could also cause this if it has lasted longer than a few weeks. You may want to start giving him some reptile supplements. There are many brands to choose from and a lot of reptiles need extra calcium supplemented in their diets. I hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach.

I am so sorry to hear that this is happening to you and Chicken Nugget! Between now and your veterinary visit, the most important thing that you can do is to keep his eyes moist. I am not sure what is in the reptile eye drops that you purchased, so due to this I would recommend that you discontinue their use. This is just in case there is something in the drops that may make the situation worse. I would recommend continuing the saline eye drops, and you can also purchase an over-the-counter eye lubricant. The brand(s) that I recommend are either Optixcare or GenTeal. When you purchase them, please ensure they are the original formulation of both of them, and are not allergy relief or anything else, as these often will have additives that may be irritating to Chicken Nugget's eyes. You can also soak Chicken Nugget on a daily basis - this will help to keep him hydrated. You can put him a lukewarm water bath that is to the level of his chin, but please monitor him to ensure he does not drown. You can do this for 15-20 minutes per day. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope he feels better soon!

Place him in a warm, moist hide or container for about 30 minutes. Make sure there is adequate ventilation and that he doesn't get too cold. This should help remove the eye caps. Geckos usually have problems with the eyelid liner, not caps like snakes. If this is the case or if the cloudiness persists, have him examined by your vet or an experienced herp vet.

Crested geckos don't "need" UVB lighting as long as they are fed a diet adequate in vitamin D3. Soak or mist him with warm water to help facilitate shedding. The cloudiness may be related to the shed or it may be due to infection or trauma. An exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles would be recommended if the cloudiness does not resolve after the shed is complete.