photo-kerato-conjunctivitis

[nanabanana296]

Be careful with your UVB lights. As a newbie I purchased a coil bulb first then learned thru this site how bad they are and switched to a reptisun 10.0. My baby was not eating ( still hasn't after 6 days), lethargic, eye bulging and not basking then started displaying odd behaviors. After taking him to the vet I learned he had photo-keratoconjunctivitus! I had unknowingly placed the new tube bulb too close to the basking spot. This could have been fatal. Currently I am hand feeding him REPTI boost since he wont eat, applying 5 % saline ointment to his eyes and keeping him hydrated. The bulb has been turned off and will be off for 2-3 days while he heals. At dinner this evening I will try baby food chicken/ squash. He has opened his eyes several times today and responds to my voice. He is on the mend, fingers crossed.

 

[Brieana]

This happened to my box turtle. I was told to take cod liver oil capsules and drip them into her eyes every day. I had to hand feed her, but after about a week, her eyes were healed.
As long as he continues to eat, he should be ok. You basically have to wait for the burned eye tissue to be replaced by healthy tissue.

 

[nanabanana296]

I hope they heal w/out any problems. I have felt just terrible. I am putting saline ointment on his lil eyes. He did eat 1cc of runny baby food chicken and squash so we are on the right road.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is too bad this happened to your baby.
I would keep the Reptisun 10 tube bulb off for at least a week or so to allow his eyes to heal fully. Continue using the sterile saline solution daily as well & feeding him baby food, too for him.
What type of basking light are you using?

Tracie

 

[nanabanana296]

Hi Tracey,

I am keeping the bulb off for 5 more days. The basking bulb is a All Living Things Basking Bulb 100w Neodymium. It is putting off between 102-108, right now it is a lil chilly here and I am wondering if it is warm enough for them and should I get a Che. Max has his eyes opened this morning for a few seconds at a time.

 

[Lugailover]

This happened to my beardie I recently got, the UVB was a ReptiSun 10.0 but it was never changed for about 2 years, it even gave me photokeratitis in a short space of time. *THE LAST OWNERS NEVER CHANGED IT, I planned to change it immediately after I got him with the tank since I didn't know how old it was, guess I was right*

He recovered after about a month, but still has some problems with his right eye, but I'm shocked he recovered so fast after such a long exposure to the light after I got problems after only a few hours of it.

It can't be stressed enough that you have to replace your UVB. :I

 

[nanabanana296]

Lugailover how terrible, I didn't know people could get it as well. I too am using a reptisun 10.0, it is brand new and unfortunately it was too close I feel horrible. Now it is 12 inches away until he is better. I am still applying the ointment and he opens his eyes more now. He still is hardly eating but he is shedding his head and tail as well. Poor baby, he was a wiggly worm and afraid of us now he is docile and more cuddly the only good thing that has come out of this. I hope you and your baby are better.

 

[Bailey91990]

Can someone link what a Coil bulb looks like? II use Repti Sun 10 for each of my dragons but when I first got them I didnt use them, & ones I used I have on stash incase 1 of mine blow & just want see if thats what I have.

 

[nanabanana296]

This type of bulb.


http://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Glow-Coil-Bulb-Watt/dp/B00164M4VC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[Bailey91990]

Yup thats what I used for first two months of having my beardys . Hope I didnt mess them up.....

 

[nanabanana296]

I did the same thing. But they had it in the pet store too.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great he is starting to do better now. I hate to say this but I recommend also changing out your basking bulb, too. The bulbs which have the Neodymium coating on them emit a false CRI which in reality are not bright to them & tend to filter out the yellow hues they need.
You can use a nice halogen bulb, they are very bright & do get hot, too.

How is his appetite doing?

Tracie

 

[nanabanana296]

Hi Tracie,

I didn't know that about those bulbs! Wow it makes you wonder why companies don't do better studies but I guess the allmightybuckalways wins. So a halogen, do you mean a regular house bulb and if so what wattage?
Thanks

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

You are welcome. Honestly I am not sure why they coat them with the Neodymium for reptile sale, they should know better.
Just an old fashioned halogen or household bulb is plenty bright on the CRI spectrum.
How is he doing now?

Tracie

 

[nanabanana296]

Hello Tracie,

Doing better each day. We give him a bath each morning and wipe his eyes off then feed him the repti boost. He isn't as active as when we first got him but he does walk around and bask. He started being a squirmy wormy in the bath yesterday like he did when first got him so I believe things are going well.