beardie wont open his eyes

Question
QUESTION: About 1 week to 2 weeks ago I noticed my 5 mth beardies eyes were closed and purple underneath, the two of them... took him to a vet and said he wasn't sure and try rubbing warm cloth on them to see if he will open them, well he wont and he wouldn't eat or drink so now I am hand feeding him and giving him water through a syringe couple of drops a day. I have the carpet on the bottom and a repti glo 15w tube light for UVb nd UVA and a basking light. Please help me its breaking my heart that he can't see, and the vet couldn't help me, I really pray you can...... Soon Please

ANSWER: Hello Amanda,

I am sorry about your dragon's eyes!
Let's try turning off the Reptiglo 10 tube bulb for now.  They have been linked to eye issues & poor health problems.  The UVB wavelength is poor & it is an improper wavelength which is low wavelength.  It can be damaging to soft tissues.
Use just a basking light right now, to see if his eyes begin to heal up.  Are they crusted up at all or swollen?
Do you have any pictures of him?
What are his temperatures right now for his basking?  
Are you using a bright white basking light as well, or, a colored basking light?
If he is not eating, continue feeding him via a syringe & dropper along with water, daily to help with his immune system.  You can also add some bee pollen too, just to help boost his system.
Maybe keep his tank around 80 overnight for awhile to help him out.
Let me know how he is doing.

Tracie

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QUESTION: hi thanks Tracie, What bulb should I be using, I went to get the reptisun but couldn't get it. His basking is 100 110. Yes using bright white light. Yes since I have been hand feeding him he has come to life, thank god his eyes are still the same I will leave off his light but for how long should I do this? The vet I saw also told me to rub Spike's eyes with warm cloth, should I be doing this? They are not crusted over. His eyes look cloudy inside when I do manage to pull his lid down a little. Maybe I should just leave his eyes alone, what do you think? I also heard of using Turtle eyedrops, what are your thoughts on this? I really appreciate your time and answers, you seem to be my only hope to making Spike better again... and to be able to see.....

ANSWER: Hello Amanda,

You can order either the Reptisun 10 tube or the Arcadia D3 12% tube bulb from here:

www.lightyourreptiles.com

He will ship to Canada from the US.  
Yes you can use turtle eye drops to help his eyes out.  Using a warm cloth can be helpful as well, or you can try also to use a warm, moist herbal tea bag at night when he is going to sleep.  It will help soothe his eyes.  Do his eyes look infected?

Do not however, rub his eyes as they are irritated right now from the bad bulb.  Just use the basking light right now but do not turn the Reptiglo 10 bulb back on, it is not a good bulb.

I am glad to hear he is doing a little better now with your hand feeding him.  He may need that for awhile, too until he starts to feel better.
Are you using a solid substrate for him?
Let me know how he is doing.
Trace

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

QUESTION: Hello Trace, I forgot to tell you first I had a coil uvb/uva light, didn't change until this happened, the pet store said the coil was ok to use. But obviously it is not. Why are they allowed to sell that stuff if it hurts the beardies? Doesn't make any sense. So when I went back and told them about Spike's condition they told me to buy the reptiglow 10.0 15watt. So you are telling me this bulb will hurt him as well? Not sure if his eyes are infected they will not open and purple color underneath and puffy. It breaks our heart. Apparently there is not reptile vet here in NL, there is vets here that will see them but they are clueless to what goes on with beardies. I went spent the money and got nothing I told the vet more due to my research on the computer. So his eyes will heal, you have heard of this before, I guess it will take time. How long can the uvb/uva bulb stay off for? They need this don't they? I have a 30 gallon tank what wattage bulb should I be using for the uvb/uva? Reptsun is the best? Thanks so much for answering me hopefully between me and you we can get Spike on the mend......

Answer
Hello Amanda,

Honestly I wish I knew why they were still able to sell these lights.  Unfortunately there is no regulation really for reptile lighting.
Yes, the Reptiglo 10 tube bulb is not good either.  The two lights I mentioned are the only two tube bulbs that are any good.  
Yes, they do need the UVB, but since suffering from the eye injury he needs his eyes to heal & rest.  
So at least two weeks he needs to have no UVB in at all.  That ygives you plenty of time to get the new bulb ordered.
His eyes are swollen shut though right now?
Try also using an herbal tea bag, warmed & moistened on his eyes at night, for a few minutes to help soothe the eyes a little bit.


Let me know how he is doing.
Tracie