HELP! Veiled Chameleon Eye Problem

[Chameleongav]

hi all.
have a 3 year old Female yemen chameleon, her normal diet is around 5 locusts per day and wax worms/ crickets once a week she has her calcium dust, and all our insects are gut loaded before feeding with gut loading powder I bought from my local reptile shop.

Before we got her, she had a calcium deficiency when she was young due to incompetent pet shop who told my friend the wrong information whilst she bought my chameleon, her legs became jellified and she went through operations to have them fixed (they are now fine but slightly disfigured)
recently she cut her tail and she lost the tip due to an infection (treated by the vet)

That's basically all my chameleon, if you need information on her cage I will happily give it.

She finishing laying yesterday after digging for a 4 days. Today I have gone to feed her and her eyes look swollen. I first thought it was dehydration at she hasn't eaten or drank for a couple of weeks this is her normal behaviour when she is getting ready to lay. her right eye is more swollen then the other but they both look slightly blackened and also they seem to be bulging more at the front of her eye at the base. I do have pictures but unsure how to upload them to here.

can anyone give me advice I will get her to the vets tomorrow, but any advice in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
many thanks in advance

 

[Olimpia]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Poor girl, it seems like she's had quite the history!

My first thought is that it may be some sand/soil in her eyes that is causing irritation. You can try rinsing the eyes like this before your vet visit and see if it helps. Usually I would suggest just a heavy misting but I think this might be better if there is sand in her eyes:

1. Get some plain, no medicine-added saline solution like to wash out contacts from any CVS. A pharmacist will help you if you mention it's for an animal and can't contain additives. You want to find a bottle with the squirty nozzle.

2. Grab or have someone grab your chameleon facing downwards at a 45* angle, so no liquid gets down her throat. Then you want to wait until her eye is open (or gently pry it open) and then squirt a generous amount of saline into the eyeball with some pressure. If successful you'll see her turret blow up like a balloon! This is good- stop and let her roll the eye around by herself, she'll get all the liquid out and any grains that might be stuck in there deeply.

3. Repeat again and do with the other eye.

This was recommended to me by a really respected chameleon vet a few years ago for something similar, for gunk in the eye. It works wonders usually if there is a piece of something in the eye.

She may still want to keep it closed because sand/soil is abrasive and her eyes may be irritated but the saline wash should help.

Good luck!

 

[Chameleongav]

Thanks for your advice!
I will give that a go and hopefully it'll work.
yeah she's certainly had her fair share of bad luck. hope it stops soon!
Will update tomorrow if any changes occur.
Thank you