One thing that makes leopard geckos incredibly attractive is their large, round, and colorful eyes. These lizards boast of being one of the few gecko species with eyelids.

Unfortunately, leopard geckos are susceptible to several eye infections and ailments. Eye issues in geckos range from typical, treat-at-home problems to severe infections that need to be addressed by an exotic reptile vet.

Leopard gecko eye infections are treated using preservative-free saline, sterilized cloth or cotton bud, antibiotics, or reptile drops. However, you must consult a qualified reptile vet before you treat your gecko for an eye infection.

Want to dig deep into treating eye issues and common eye causes of eye infections? Please keep reading!

How to Treat Leopard Gecko Eye Infection at Home?

Experienced leopard gecko owners can take care of their geckos in the best way possible. Since most people dread veterinary costs, they always try to fix any problems without involving vets. The bugging question is; can you treat eye infections at home?

Unfortunately, you can’t afford to think about cost-saving regarding leopard gecko eye problems. More importantly, leopard gecko keepers should not treat or try to cure eye problems without consulting a professional reptile vet.

Vets warn against trying to forcefully open leopard gecko eyes when they are shut permanently. Doing so can potentially cause life-threatening and nonreversible damages.

With that said, there are issues that you can try to treat at home, such as helping the leopard gecko drop a stuck shed, fixing dry eyes, and removing foreign objects from the eyes. How to treat infections at home:

• To treat these conditions, you’ll need a cotton ball and saline solution
• Pick your leopard gecko and place it in your hand
• Dip the cotton ball in the saline solution and gently pass it through the affected area
• If it’s stuck skin, it will easily peel off once you drench it with saline.

However, if you’re not experienced enough, you should not try to treat your leopard gecko at home. You might end up causing your scaly friend more harm than good. Letting qualified vets perform treatment will prevent possible errors that may lead to blindness or severe damage.

Professional Eye Infection Treatment by a Vet

The kind of treatment a professional vet offers will depend on the condition being treated. However, most eye infections are treated through thorough eye cleaning using a damp cotton bud, applying eye drops, and administering topical or oral antibiotics. Only extreme conditions such as abscesses will require surgical operations.

When you take your leopard gecko to a reptile vet:

• The vet will inspect and conduct various tests to provide a proper prognosis and diagnosis
• Once they are sure of the kind of infection the leopard gecko is suffering from, they’ll decide the kind of treatment they’ll offer
• Usually, they’ll clean the eye using a clean cloth or cotton ball dipped in a saline solution
• Afterward, they’ll apply topical antibiotics to fight the infection
• The vet will prescribe eye-cleaning instructions and administer a full dose of oral or topical antibiotics
• You’ll have to follow the instruction to the letter if you want the eye infection to be cured

After a thorough inspection and rigorous testing, a reptile vet can also:

• Remove foreign objects in the leopard gecko’s eyes
• Prescribe oral and topical antibiotics
• Lance abscesses in the eyes
• Offer vitamin A supplement if needed
• Perform surgery if the condition being treated requires one.

Common Types of Eye Infections and Other Eye Conditions in Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos have eyes that are relatively larger compared to the size of their head. This is the primary reason they keep getting things into their eyes, developing various infections, and having a wider range of ocular issues than the rest of the animals.

However, other eye problems are caused by poor husbandry, wrong diet, or congenital issues. In most cases, eye infections result from bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. The typical eye problems in leopard geckos include:

1. Vitamin A Deficiency or Hypovitaminosis

Vitamin A is one of the most integral components for healthy eyes in humans and geckos. As a component of rhodopsin, vitamin A ensures that animals have a clear cornea and maintain low-light vision. If your scaly friend has vitamin A deficiency in its diet, it might start to develop eye problems.

Signs that Your Leopard Gecko Has Hypovitaminosis

When your lizard has a vitamin deficiency, it will display some symptoms such as:

• Skin color changes
• Eye squinting
• Decreased appetite
• Forming of pseudo-abscess
• Eye-bulging and eyesight problem
• Difficulties in catching or consuming insects

You can prevent and treat vitamin A deficiency by improving your leopard gecko’s diet. First, you should only feed your lizard gut-loaded insects with nutrients and vitamins.

Additionally, incorporating silkworms and pinky mice in the diet can help your spotted friend with the much-deserved vitamin A.

But remember, consuming too much vitamin A can still affect the gecko’s health. Therefore, be moderate when feeding your leopard gecko foods rich in vitamin A. Also, talk to your vet about alternatives, such as multivitamin pills.

2. Conjunctivitis

Commonly known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the pink tissue that lines the eyelids in the leopard geckos’ eyes. Usually, conjunctivitis is associated with poor hygiene and bacterial infection.

If you don’t provide your leopard gecko with clean water and thoroughly clean its enclosure, it might support the growth of bacteria that might cause conjunctivitis.

Remember, if this condition goes untreated for a long time, it can result in septicemia and vision loss.

3. Corneal Ulcer (Ulcerative keratis)

This is an eye infection characterized by the cornea’s inflammation. The primary cause of corneal ulcers is trauma, parasites, or a foreign body getting stuck in the eyeball.

Since the condition is more complicated, you should let a reptile vet diagnose and treat it. The vet will use a tropical fluorescein dye that will only stick if the eye has a corneal ulcer.

4. Retained Eye Lining

Sometimes, leopard geckos experience problematic shedding, where a piece of shed gets stuck over the eye. The retained shed can lead to eye infections or form a plug that blocks the eye.

Besides causing infection, retained sheds can lead to vision problems making it daunting for the leopard gecko to go through its day-to-day life seamlessly.

If you don’t want your leopard gecko to have problems when shedding, you need to ensure adequate moisture and humidity in its enclosure.

However, if the worst happens, you can easily remove retained skin at home using a Q-tip, cotton swab, and saline solution.

However, never try to remove stuck skin forcefully, as it’s painful and may lead to more damage. If you treat retained skin at home and it doesn’t come off, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with the local reptile veterinarian.

5. Blepharitis

This severe fungal or bacterial infection causes red, swollen, and itchy eyelids. When your gecko suffers from this condition, it constantly scratches its eyes. Typically, blepharitis occurs when bacteria inhabit and multiply on the skin around the eyes. They cause the eyes to swell and become red.

The condition can’t be treated at home. The condition can cause cysts, dry eyes, and even conjunctivitis if not treated correctly.

6. Non-Ulcerative Keratitis

The condition causes inflammation of the outer layer of the cornea. Unlike ulcerative keratitis, which is detected if the infected part retains a tropical fluorescein dye, non-ulcerative keratitis doesn’t retain a fluorescein stain. The condition must be treated by a qualified reptile vet.

7. Subcutaneous Abscess

Although leopard geckos are highly prone to abscesses, the most common type appears in the subcutaneous layer under the eye. A subcutaneous abscess is caused by bites, trauma, and gram-bacterial system infection.

When an eye abscess is not treated, it continues to grow in size and number and might lead to blindness. Unlike other eye conditions that require mild treatments that can be done at home, abscesses need to be removed surgically by qualified exotic vets.

8. Parasitic Infections

Parasites can also lead to eye infections in leopard geckos. Both external and internal parasites can attack various parts of the eye, causing infections that can deteriorate the gecko’s vision.

Some documented reports indicate that string-like worms can be seen inside the eye’s conjunctival sac and eyeballs when there’s a heavy infestation.  

9. Uveitis

Uveitis is an unusual eye inflammation affecting the uvea (the eyewall’s middle tissue layer). The condition causes pus or blood to fill the interior chamber under the cornea. Although the primary cause of Uveitis is unknown, the condition is associated with trauma, neoplasia, autoimmune disease, local infection, and systemic infection.

However, it’s important to note that Uveitis can have severe consequences, such as complete vision loss. Therefore, don’t delay visiting your local vet if you think your leopard gecko has Uveitis.

10. Genetic Defects of the Eye

Sometimes, your leopard gecko might have some congenital eye abnormalities. This may be caused by inbreeding or passed from parents to babies. The common congenital eye defects include:

• Anophthalmos
• Cyclopia
• Microphthalmia
• Ankyloblepharon
• Albino or lighter-colored hatchlings

11. Eye Proptosis

This disorder occurs when the eye pops out of its socket, making it impossible for the leopard gecko to close its eyes. The condition causes overexposure of the cornea to the air, making it challenging for the gecko to keep its eyes moist.

Although eye proptosis is relatively uncommon, experts presume it occurs due to rough eye cleaning, foreign bodies in the eyes, or squeezing the gecko too hard.

Since leopard geckos are extremely delicate animals, they must be handled with care. A vet should be called immediately if your scaly friend suffers eye proptosis.

Why Is My Leopard Gecko Still Moving Around with One Eye Closed?

If your gecko is active but has closed eyes, it’s a sign that it suffers from eye-related issues. It might be ailing from parasitic invasion, eye infection, trauma, or any eye defect mentioned in the section above.

Typically, eye infection causes irritation and pain. So, leopard geckos choose to shut their eyes to try and avoid light and make the pain bearable.

How Can You Prevent Eye Issues and Infections in Leopard Geckos?

There are several things that leopard keepers should do to lower the risk of their cute friends having eye problems.

1. Maintain Hygiene and Cleanliness

A dirty enclosure creates a conducive environment for the growth of mold, fungi, bacteria, and parasites, which are the leading causes of eye infections.

2. Provide Optimal Tank Conditions

A leopard gecko’s terrarium should have optimal temperature, humidity, and lighting. A slight slump in any of these conditions can be stressful and might lead to injuries that might cause eye issues.

For instance, low humidity inside the cage causes shedding problems leading to retained sheds around the leopard gecko eyes. Bad lighting can cause vision problems and affect the eye structure. Lastly, incorrect temperature causes poor feeding, leading to deficiencies that can lead to eye defects.

3. Offer Clean Water and Substrates

You must clean the water dish and offer your lizard clean water daily. Conversely, you should choose substrates that don’t have particles that can easily prick or injure the lizard’s eyes.

4. Remove Objects with Sharp Edges

Avoid placing accessories and decors with sharp edges inside the cage. These objects can easily injure the eyes, causing trauma and other eye problems.

5. Schedule Regular Checkup

As a leopard gecko keeper, you should inspect your lizard’s eye for any issues and ensure that you keep up with vet appointments.

Although some issues can be treated at home, it’s crucial to ensure that you consult your local reptile vet before you try anything on your reptile pet.

Final Verdict

Leopard gecko eyes are the most enticing features of these lizards. However, they are highly prone to the conditions discussed in the guide, such as corneal ulcer, abscess, conjunctivitis, vitamin A deficiency, retained shed, non-ulcerative keratitis, and Uveitis.

Since your lizard is likely to suffer from one of these conditions in its lifetime, you must learn how eye problems are treated.

As comprehensively detailed in this guide, most eye problems need to be treated by qualified vets.

However, experienced keepers can treat some of the conditions at home. We hope we’ve covered everything you need to know about leopard gecko eye infection and treatment.