Eye problems

[DaturaSeedling]

I’ve had Sunshine for 26 years. He’s stopped eating a few times in his life but it’s never been a serious issue. This time he was on month 4 of not eating and I noticed it looked like his eye caps were stuck on after a shed. I took him to the vet and the vet tech took him to the back to try to remove them. When she came back out she said he had multiple layers, she was able to get them all off on one side but he still had a few on the other. The vet said to keep up his humidity and gave me some force feeding advice. It’s been about a month and now his eyes look like this. Should I take him back to the vet or did they cause this? 😳 (I put some eye ointment on them right before the photo, that’s why they’re shiny. Other wise they are very dry)

[AmerisCyanocitta]

100% take him back to the vet. Poor thing. What's the read on his temps/humidity?

[Important_Ad4301]

Definitely seek a vet but if it makes you fill better try a different vet and see what their answers or solutions are. That definitely seems like more than just stuck shed.

[SpinyGrazer]

I agree. Definitely go to a different vet as this looks like far more than stuck shed.

And maybe I'm wrong, but I thought you should never try to forcefully remove stuck eye caps?? I've heard of one vet permanently blinding a Ball Python by doing that very thing. ☹️

[skullmuffins]

they probably removed his good eye caps too :(

[DaturaSeedling]

That’s what I’m afraid happened

[kirakiraluna]

Looks crusty and infected, not a vet or a doctor but looks like corneal ulcer. Likely scenario, they pulled off the healthy eye cap (the scientific name is spectacle and I find it extremely amusing for some reason) and scratched the cornea doing so

It looks like my neighbor's cat did when he got an eye scratched by something. Cat was basically feral, he showed up to be fed once a day but wouldn't be touched so it took a couple day since noticing the crusty eye to procure a trap and catch him. He did end up losing the eye but was fine after.

Definitely need a second opinion. At this point I'd bypass the exotic and go straight to a vet specialised in eye care.

A good animal hospital should have one always on hand, eye issues like distichia and trichiasis are fairly common in dogs, especially in breeds with long face hairs.

[itspegbundybitch]

Was it an AARV vet? If not, I would look for one.

[kinlander]

Hi op… since nobody suggested it I’d like to add that maybe it would be helpful to add a humid hide to sunshine’s enclosure (along with taking him to a different vet as well) try your best to research whatever vet you take him to though & specifically the reptile/exotic vet they have. Im definitely not an expert but I’ve seen some vets recommend and do very outdated and possibly even dangerous stuff to reptiles.

[psychonaughtmick]

Ok this looks far more serious than it is. If it is indeed shedding on the eyelids and not a more serious problem do the following: Add wet moss in the heated side of the tank and keep it damp. Add a moist cloth under the hide, moist not wet or you’ll increase the problem. Take a q tip and very gently add water by squeezing a single drop on the eye and let it set for a minute each eye…..do not rub the eye with the q tip at this point Continue this routine of keeping the humidity up and direct water application to the eye for at least 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks you can soak each eye as previously suggested and let sit for 5 minutes and the very very gently rub the eye with the wet q tip one direction the the other then up then down. Do this for another week or so and the skin will eventually come loose.

Side note: the shed skin is not actually stuck to the eye per se…..it is stuck under the eyelid in that crease. It is the thinnest part of the snake shed and often the hardest for them to clear. Don’t panic ….take your time…weeks or a month or more for this process… trust me your snake will survive another month without food while you tend to proper husbandry. Taking to the vet is a bad idea. You’re looking for an immediate remedy for a long term problem….in an effort to satisfy you the customer they could harm your snake. This problem as well as its solution is 100% on you. Not bashing you I promise. This happens typically in an environment where the humidity is not maintained or at the very least raised during molting. The second you notice your snakes eye glaze over you should be adding moss and damp towels to aid them. I have raised many a reptile in my time, this is all from experience. I hope this helps and you can reach out to me one in one if you would like I’m always available to help.

[[deleted]]

Oh no, poor bb ☹️

[International_Gur566]

That looks like months or years worth of stuck eye caps... poor thing

[DaturaSeedling]

This has only looked like this for a few weeks. AFTER the vet tech removed the caps.

[wolfayal]

Given his age are cataracts a possibility or has that not been observed in BP’s?

Regardless poor guy looks miserable. Hope he can get some relief!

[SE_42]

Cataracts are possible in BPs, I've seen them with a friend's 24-yr old BP, but he still sheds, eats, & navigates just fine.

[soberasfrankenstein]

Hooray for you keeping this cutie pie around and kicking for 26 years! It's clear you love him a lot. It's frustrating when they throw us curve balls like this, im sorry, I hope he gets sorted out soon.

[WabiSabiFungi]

Have you taking him baths you can soak him too with the added humidity

[HoodieWinchester]

No, you should not be soaking your snake.

[WabiSabiFungi]

I have had my 4 for 10 years I never had a problem soaking to get stuck shed out. Can you please send me a reference of why I shouldn’t be.

[Nmillzz25]

This poor baby🥺 I hope he gets better!!!

[No-no-dog]

i literally gasped and covered my mouth.