Leopard Gecko: More but Different Eye Problems...

[Yoshi'smom]

So as some of you know my boy Yoshi recently had an ulcer on his eye most likely caused by a scratch. It has since healed and has no more scratch.
A new problem that has developed is that he's keeping both eyes shut all the time. He will only open them when I pull him out of the tank to look at them. There aren't any scratches (the doctor showed my what to look for) but I think I may have accidentally partially blinded him...
He had a standard (i think fluorescent) light on his tank that was on a timer for about 3 months. I put this up because it had come with the tank and the room I have them in doesn't have the best light cycle but it's ok.
I have removed the light now and he just has whatever natural light comes in through the window (not direct light). There has been no change in his eyes since. I have been giving him eye drops to keep his eyes moist. It seems that since he keeps them closed they have a hard time opening back up.
I have checked for light response and his pupils do constrict with direct light. He also still eats well and it takes him a couple of tries before he grabs a worm.
He otherwise is still in great health and has a nice fat tail and isn't loosing any weight. He's also just as active as he was before, which isn't terribly active... But he does get up and move around and thermoregulate.
My question is this: Should I wait a week or so to see if there are any improvements or should I go back to the vet? I just feel sort of bad that I did this to my baby boy... Any suggestions?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Before I knew better I was using a strip fluorescent in my leos' tank. My female adapted by digging under her water bowl or hiding in a rock cave, so I rarely saw her. However, and perhaps it was stress from the fluorescent and maybe too cool temps, even though the male hid in one of the hides he developed severe hepatic lipidosis---fatty liver disease---and died. (I did have an necropsy performed.) I also was gutloading in part with dog, cat, puppy, kitty food samples plus Tetramin Fish Flakes added to my regular mix. The fish flakes are way too high in protein (46%). The dry chow was way too high in minimum crude fat which also could cause fatty liver disease. (Horrors, I know )

The female thrives to this day now with improved heating and NO MORE BRIGHT LIGHTS! The bright lights did not seem to damage her eyes---maybe because she escaped from them.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Thanks Elizabeth... I still feel pretty terrible. I'm going to see if he improves over the next week or so. I've removed the light and gotten him a new heat rope so the temperatures have gone up a bit. He's still eating (with slight difficulty) and pooing normally so I guess I'll just have to wait....

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks Elizabeth... I still feel pretty terrible. I'm going to see if he improves over the next week or so. I've removed the light and gotten him a new heat rope so the temperatures have gone up a bit. He's still eating (with slight difficulty) and pooing normally so I guess I'll just have to wait....

Kelly ~

Good wishes for Yoshi. Hope he improves before a vet visit!

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Thanks again Elizabeth.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Update!!

Hey, I know that not too many people were following this thread but I wanted to update everyone on Yoshi's eye problems. It wasn't getting any better... In fact I thought it was getting worse. Regardless, I was keeping both eyes moist with saline. Both eyes were cloudy when he would open which was only when I took him out of his tank. I was going to call the vet on Thursday to make an appointment if I had no improvment.
I noticed last night that Yoshi was looking dull. He was getting ready to shed. I wanted badly to be here when he shed so that I could help him with his eyes. Luckily, as soon as I walked in the door today from work he had started shedding and was starting to get it off around his neck! Talk about perfect timing!
I scooped him out and got a wet q-tip and worked it off his face. I gently pulled off the skin on his eyes and as soon as it came off he blinked a couple of times and has since been keeping his eyes open!! Hor-ray!! It appears to just have been some stuck shed in his eyes! Boy am I glad it wasn't an infection!
I'm going to try to feed him tomorrow night to see if he has anymore of an appetite than he's had. I had to force feed him two worms 2 days ago. He wasn't happy about it then but I was happier to see him eat something (he hadn't eaten in 5 days). He took a nice healthy poo after that...
I'm just very excited that my boy can open his eyes on his own and can hold them open while he cruises around his tank (he wasn't opening his eyes at all when he was in his tank before)! I'm just very excited to see some improvement in my little man!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Yeah, Kelly!

You are a great gecko mom ;-). Great to hear that Yoshi can see again :fight:. Any chance the stuck shed on his eyes was not only the current shed but maybe the immediate past shed too?

 

[Debbie7054]

I'm soooooooooooooooooooo glad Yoshi can see again I've been so worried about him. Its great you could be there to help him and that he's eating again, it must have been very stressful for him not being able to see.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Stressful for me too! I was worrying like crazy! He's my baby- he was my first Leo and he's spoiled (with love)!!