Leopard gecko swollen eye question

Now, before everyone jumps on me for writing here to ask about it...

I -am- going to take the leopard gecko to the vet to have him checked out and treated, but our reptile vet is not going to be open tomorrow (Sunday, and I'm in the UK).

So I'm just wanting to sound people out about what they think might have happened or if they know of any illnesses that might have caused the following - and if they have any additional care suggestions before I get to the veterinarian.

Alya is a two-year-old male leopard gecko, kept in a vivarium which he does not share with any other leopard geckos. His vivarium temperatures are in the optimal range, and I've verified this with digital thermometers. He's fed a mostly gutloaded mealworm diet, with calcium powder available at all times in addition to being dusted on his food, and occasional waxworms. He does not live on a particulate substrate - he's on paper toweling. He has a humid hide available, and his most recent shed appeared normal. He is defecating regularly.

In the last 24 hours he has developed a swelling around his right eye - the area around it is puffy and soft to the touch, and he's not able to open the eye on that side. He doesn't appear to have a pain reaction when the swelling is touched - no tail wriggling, no gaping or other body language, just moving his head away if you touch his eyelids (which he does if you do the same on the left, normal side) His behaviour is slightly 'dopey' compared to normal - he is not quite as alert as usual. He seems somewhat disinterested in his food - even waxworms - at the moment, probably because he can't properly see it.

Any suggestions, ideas, information, or possible 'first-aid' type treatments would be really appreciated, thanks - he's my calmest, tamest boy, and I'm really quite fond of him.

- Ssthisto

It is very possible he retained a tiny piece of skin in his eye and that is what is causing the swelling. Try getting a plastic dish with a lid out. Fill it with some warm water and put the lid on to get steam built up. Place him in there and let him steam in his sauna. If anything, it will open the eye and you can get a better look to see if there is something in it.

Thank you, Shannan, I'll try that. I appreciate the advice *smile*

Just an update, since I've realized I hadn't said anything about the results of the vet visit that he went to on Monday the 28th of March.

The vet believes it's possibly some sort of abcess inside his eyelid, since she could not see any apparent damage to the eye, nor any evidence of stuck shed. I was instructed to treat it with Fucithalmic antibiotic eyedrops, morning and evening, with the caution that if it was an abcess it might be resistant, since reptile pus tends to be thicker and more viscous in consistency than mammalian. She thought she might have to remove the abcess surgically, but wanted to try treating it first, since the last gecko we had to have surgery on unfortunately died of related complications.

The swelling has gone down a great deal, and he's starting to open the eyelids on that side slightly - he's still going to go back to the vet on Friday morning for a second check to see if he will need surgery, but the reduction in swelling has been extremely dramatic, and he's perked up a great deal, is eating if I offer food from tongs on his 'sighted' side.

I'm glad to have good news so far to share - it would have been a different story entirely had I posted about the Blizzard female I lost to peritonitis due to surgery for an impaction-related prolapse.

Thank you, Shannan, for your advice - even if it didn't seem to do Alya much good, I'll certainly keep it in mind if any of the geckos have trouble with sheds in the future.

good luck and please keep us posted on how he does

I am really glad Alya is getting better. I hope the surgery is not needed. Keep us posted as Robin said

Well, he went back to the vet on Friday morning, and she wants to hold off surgery for another week at least, since the swelling has gone down so much - still more eye drops to keep giving him, but that's not so bad.

He's certainly brightened up a lot, though - the vet was impressed with how quick he was to climb up my shoulder and hide behind my hair when she wanted to have a closer look at him *grins*

Hi,
our gecko is sick for a while and we was by several Vets. He lost so much weight and had bacterias. Now we have to force feed him. He is shedding forever. We bath him every other day to help him and created a little "Rainforest corner" To help him. Now i think for the long shedding he got skin in his eye witch seems now to be out of his eye, but his eye is swollen. I don't want to stress him more out as already. Some one has knowledge what i could do at home?
Sorry if my English is not so good, but I appreciate if someone could help me
Steffi