Chameleon Eye problems

Eye problems seem to be a common occurrence with chameleons in captivity and unfortunately it can be very difficult to diagnose the underlying problems that cause them. If your animal is experiencing eye troubles there are a number of things that could be causing this, the most common and most easily treated would be a foreign body inside the eye turret. This could be anything like a small piece of bark or soil that the animal has rubbed against and has somehow become lodged inside the eye. The chameleon may be showing some discomfort by bulging the affected eye out and rubbing it on branches to try and remove whatever may be stuck inside. When you suspect something is in your animal’s eye it can be a good idea to give it prolonged misting or showers, you can do this by leaving the chameleon in its enclosure and spraying him for 20-30 minutes with luke warm water, this should give them time to try and cleanse their eye turret and hopefully free up what ever is inside. This process may be repeated several times a day. If the problem persists then you should seek the advice of a reptile veterinarian who may first give you some cream or gel that will keep the area moist and hopefully free any debris caught inside.
If left untreated it may become infected which would make clearing the problem a much more difficult process.

Eye problems can also be related to the early signs of upper respiratory infection, when U.R.I manifests itself in the sinuses it can often lead to the chameleon closing its eyes, although it is usually only one eye that will be affected. If you notice your animal is closing one eye, be vigilant for some of the other signs that are associated with the infection so that the appropriate treatment can be started immediately.

High levels or concentrated areas of UV-B exposure can also lead to eye problems in chameleons. Always ensure you use suitable UV bulbs that match the animal’s needs and always try to avoid using coil shaped bulbs as some brands of these have been known to cause serious eye problems. Also consider where your UV source is positioned, ideally it should be placed across the top of the enclosure around the same area as the heat source. If the linear tubes are being used, try to avoid mounting them down the back or side of the enclosure where the animal will be exposed to full UV-B in all areas of the cage. This may sound like a good idea but they need a gradient with UV-B in the same way they require a heat gradient. See heating and lighting). There is also the possibility of a side mounted tube causing eye issues from the chameleon being unable to escape the amount of UV-B it is subjected to.

Vitamin imbalances are probably one of the biggest causes of eye problems and yet they can be the slowest and most difficult to treat. Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of eye problems. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and is an essential part of a panther chameleons metabolism. When they become deficient in vitamin A the eyes can be the first place you will notice this, the eyes may swell up or sometimes draw back into the orbit. This problem will usually occur when the animal has a history of low preformed vitamin A in the diet. The vitamin A source found in most supplements is usually beta-carotene and recent research suggests that panther chameleons cannot synthesize vitamin A through precursors like beta-carotene like it was once thought. If your chameleon has eye problems and you believe vitamin A could be a factor then administering VERY small doses of a preformed vitamin A may help, please be aware that providing your animal with “super doses” of any vitamin to try and ‘quick-fix’ problems, especially vitamin A, will kill your animal very quickly indeed! Giving preformed vitamin A to juveniles should also be avoided as administering a dose small enough not to cause toxicity would be very difficult.
If vitamin imbalances are suspected as the cause of any eye problems in your animal then you must seek the advice of a reptile veterinarian that also has a good understanding of a chameleons nutritional needs, to talk over the best treatment for the problem.