Turtle problems...please help!

Question
Hi there!
So I have had three painted turtles for the past 8 or so years. They were caught in the wild, and I was given them as juveniles and have raised them. I have always fed them store bought food, kept all three in a big 40 gallon tank with mostly water, and a log for sun bathing in the heat lamp. About three months ago one of the turtles began to get white discs around his eyes, and by the next day, his/her eyes were completely covered. This began to happen with another turtle but I quickly went to the pet store to get an anti-bacterial block, and they started to heal up. Unfortunately, the first turtle died from the illness.  Time has passed since and just last night another turtle died. Its one eye seemed possible infected again, it was hard to tell. In any case, I now have one turtle, but I feel it is time to release it into the wild. I guess I picked a bad time to do it since it is November and I live in northern Ohio. What should I do? There is a local creek with many turtles nearby that I could put it in, but I don't know if it will hibernate or be able to adapt to the wild. At the same time though, I fear that keeping it in captivity is bad for it, and that I must be doing something wrong. I don't want it to suffer, and I want it to be happy. Can you help?

Answer
Rob,                                                         At this point since you lost one to this problem already. I would definitely recommend you take him to a vet.Unless you want to ask another expert who does water turtles and diseases. I think he has a fungus. Since you have had him in the house and haven't slowly acclimated him to the elements you will probably have to keep him til the season changes. Pleases keep me posted. Good Luck, Tina