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Leopard geckos tend to shed their skin in intervals to reveal another healthier layer and discard old cells. Shedding could be one of the reasons why your leopard gecko develops a cloud-like layer around its eyes. This, usually referred to by reptile experts as “cloudy eye”, is a common but potentially serious issue that can lead to certain health complications.
But, this begs the questions – what is cloudy eye and what are the potential health complications surrounding it?
A leopard gecko with cloudy eyes happens when your pet reptile has residue from skin sheds developing around its sight organs. Many leopard geckos fail to shed properly, and some residue develops into this thick layer. This can lead to impaired vision and other issues. In rare situations, it may lead to permanent loss of sight.
Now that you know what cloudy eye could mean for your reptiles’ sight, you’re probably a bit worried. However, we’re going to be discussing how you can treat cloudy eye at home and keep your leopard gecko from vision-related issues in the future.
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Best Products for Treating Cloudy Eye:
Why Do Leopard Geckos Experience Eye Problems?
Sadly, eye problems are more common among captive leopard geckos than wild reptiles. Leopard geckos have eyelids that follow a crease-like pattern and require humidity for shedding skin around their eyes.
It may be easy for leopard geckos to shed skin around their delicate eye line in the wild. However, captive leopard geckos may find it tricky to shed skin around such areas. If there is a build-up of excess skin in these areas, it may affect the eyesight of your reptile.
Needless to say, vision problems can lead to difficulty eating, drinking, and even simply moving around.
Other Causes of Eye Issues in Leopard Geckos
Apart from cloudy eye, leopard geckos can experience several issues with their sight organs. Here’s a look at some of the main causes of eye problems among leopard geckos:
- Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane that covers geckos’ eyeballs)
- Viral, bacterial, and fungal infections of the eyes
- Foreign object or debris in the eye
- Impaction of the eyelids
- Retained shed around the eyes
- Corneal ulceration
- Contact with foreign object (through scratches, blunt force, abrasion, etc.)
- Abscess
- Parasites living in the gecko’s eyes (especially around conjunctiva area)
It’s worth noting that some of these problems can be solved with over-the-counter medication. However, your vet may be the only qualified person to handle some issues listed above.
Leopard Gecko Cloudy Eye – Symptoms
As expected, your leopard gecko won’t go blind all of a sudden. Several symptoms could point to a leopard gecko cloudy eye. If these symptoms aren’t treated, there’s a high chance of blindness affecting your leopard gecko later on.
Regular closure of eyes
If your leopard gecko suddenly likes to close its eyes often, it may be an indication of dirt/skin buildup. Ensure you check with a vet if your gecko keeps closing its eyes.
Discharge around the eyelids
Whenever a whitish discharge builds up around your gecko’s eyes, it may be an early indication of cloudy eye. If the whitish discharge continues without any signs of stopping, seek medical attention for your gecko.
Collision with objects
Geckos should have excellent vision and a perfect handle of their immediate environment. But if your leopard gecko keeps crashing into objects around its tank and outdoors, it may have sight problems. If collision with objects begin happening after your gecko sheds its skin, consult a vet to remedy the situation.
Read More: Can Leopard Geckos See Color
Poor or no response to calls
Response to calls may become unnatural if your leopard geckos find it hard to see. Cloudy eye could make your geckos lose a huge part of their vision, especially in less-humid terrariums. Geckos can hear sounds fine, but the direction of their eyes may show if they’re having vision problems.
Read More: Do Leopard Geckos Like Music?
Other symptoms
Apart from the above, other symptoms that could lead to cloudy eye include:
- Shut eyes
- Eye twitching
- Swollen eyes and eyelids
- Partial blindness
- Haziness of cornea
Treatment of Cloudy Eye – What Can You Do?
If you can’t find over-the-counter medication to treat leopard gecko cloudy eyes, you need to see a vet. To be honest, there’s really little you can do at home to prevent cloudy eye from damaging your geckos’ sight.
Contact an experienced vet for recommendations and prescriptions to help your gecko retain full vision without stress.
FAQs
Why is my leopard gecko's eye cloudy?
Your leopard gecko’s eye may become cloudy if it retains the skin of its inner eye-lid liner. Gecko eyes could also become cloudy if there is an accumulation of dead skin, which forms a cloudy blockage.
What's wrong with my leopard gecko's eye?
A leopard gecko’s eye could develop problems if:
- It becomes punctured
- An infection affects the eye
- Inflammation along with secretion of pus affects it
- The eye comes in contact with a tough object like a branch or its hide
Is my leopard gecko going blind?
Signs of a partially blind/blind leopard gecko
- Difficulty recognizing its environment
- Collision with objects in and out of its habitat
- Gecko responds to sounds but cannot naturally direct line of sight
How do I get rid of my leopard geckos shed eye?
Leopard geckos do not shed eyes the way snakes do and have no eye cap residue. However, leopard geckos tend to shed their eyelids which could get stuck and may lead to irritation. Place your gecko in a humid, breathable hide for about half-an-hour to ease shedding. After successful shedding, you can use a damp cotton swab to remove your geckos’ old skin.
Final Thoughts: Leopard Gecko Cloudy Eye (Signs + Treatment)
Leopard gecko cloudy eye isn’t a condition you should trifle with if you want your pet to retain its vision. Keeping your gecko from a bad shed is one of the most effective ways to prevent a cloudy eye situation. Make the most of tips in this post, and help your geckos get superb vision without hassle!
