Cockatiel Eye problem

Question
Hi Carol,

My cockatiel is showing signs of continue scratching his left eye.  It seems swollen and the feathers around that eye seemed to be messed up compared to his right eye.  He also easily gets white stuff on his pupil for his left eye.  He sometimes squints and it is kinda watery.  Yet, his right eye is fine.  I do not know what to do, but it saddens me that his eye is hurt and I do not know what to do.  Is there a medication that I can get for him?  He always scratches and that is probably why he gets messed up feathers.  Please help.  Thank you!

Answer
He probably has just a simple eye infection, but runny eyes is also a sign of Psittacosis which is a serious disease (parrot fever) that is contagious to humans. I would take him into the vet right away for some antibiotics and if the vet suspects psittacosis (also known as chlamydiosis, chlamydia, etc) he should be put on tetracycline or doxycycline and you and your family should be tested. It most likely is NOT psittacosis, but it's not a disease you want to be messing around with. Don't bother using any store-bought medications as these do not work and actually make diseases worse because they cause the bird not to drink, and keeps the bird from getting medical attention quickly. Also, vets cannot run any tests until 5 days after the last dose of an OTC medication, and by then, a bird can become seriously ill or die.  I hope he feels better soon! Please let me know if I can help any more at all