leopard gecko eye sight

Question

tank  
buttons   QUESTION: hi there, I had read your response to Sharron in regards to her leopard gecko eye problems, which sound very similar to mines. I'm in a similar position as I am a student and had to use her vet fund about 2 months ago as poor'Buttons' had, after i returned from a trip developed sever mouth rot - and as tuition fees were just due & don't have too much extra sitting around. At that time she had dropped a significant amount of weight and while at the vet received a shot of antibiotics, oral antibiotics that i fed her for the following month, and a topical antibiotic. She recovered quickly and is now eating super worms on her regular feeding schedule and gained much weight. Anyways her eyes were looking very swollen and glazed over during that time when i took her to the vet but the vet didn't say much. While on the antibiotics they seemed to be looking better. She's been off the antibiotics for 3 weeks now and her eyes seem to have almost hardened over it looks painful for her as she keeps trying to lick them as she can no longer close them. She has a large tank with a green terrarium liner (which i wash often), a space for her house, small other tank related items and a second enclosure with the proper dampened moss   ( she likes spending time in there); the temperature and humidity are as suggested in care books as well. I currently have some of the topical antibiotic cream left called flamazine cream 1%20gm that the vet prescribed for her when she had mouthrot and was wondering if you might think that would help. I also saw in your other post the products that you suggested and wondered if these drops were similar to the ones you mentioned Gentamicin Opthalmic Solution - Conjuctivitis in Cats and Dogs - I saw them on the PetCare RX website and wondered if those would help her comfort as well. Lastly I noticed that their mentioned for cats and dog and just wondered if the dosage concentration would be too much for a leopard gecko before i purchase them. Oh i also tried the warm baths and was putting warm compresses on her eyes when i did that it seemed to soften the area and the eye looked clouded and yellowy. It seems to really irritate her as shes always trying to rub her eyes against things.

Thank you for your help and expertise

Truly,
Jenn

ANSWER: Hello Jenn,

The gentamicin should also be fine for your leopard gecko.

The tank setup looks very good.  Do you have an undertank heater to use to help the humidity release properly?  It works much better than when it is cooler.
It sounds like somehow she has developed a bacterial infection in her eyes either from retained shed or something else.
You can also use a sterile saline solution too daily as well as the gentamicin drops also.

Are you using calcium & vitamin supplementation for her regularly?  
How old is she?

I would also in combination with the eye ointment, etc, use warm tea bag compresses too just to see if it helps the skin loosen.

Let me know how she is doing.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for the very quick response! I will certainly purchase the gentamicin drops today and hopefully pick some sterile saline drops immediately from a health food store to help in the mean time while waiting for the others to ship. She does get a reptile gecko pre mixed vitamin supplement with calcium sprinkled on her food.I have to hand feed her as she cannot see and will no longer hunt.
I have two last questions the topical antibiotics that i received from the vet when she had mouthrot (that i was putting on her mouth), would that be something i should use on her eye area or not? Also on a different note is there any other way to get her to consume the calcium as she eats only about 1/2 as much when i put the powder directly on the worms before she starts to refuse them.
She is 5 years old

Again thank you so much for you time!

Truly,
Jenn

Answer
Hello Jenn,

That sounds great, I hope the gentamicin & saline will help her out.
That is good she does receive supplementation while hand feeding.  
Which topical antibiotic for mouthrot did you use previously?  Usually the antibiotic creams or ointments for topical use are not safe for opthalmic use.  
She doesn't like the powdered calcium anymore?  
Do you keep a water dish in his tank?  You can put a pinch of calcium in his water daily if she is drinking water or mix it up with use a syringe or dropper to get it into her.

Let me know how she is doing.

Tracie