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hello! i'm back from my trip to alaska and was glad to see that even in the 3 weeks i was gone leo grew just a little bit. however, when i got him back just one of his eyes is swollen and a bit pink around the bottom lid. i'm not sure how long its been like that but i'm watching it carefully. it doesn't look awful and though he blinks that one more it doesn't seem to be that bad. unfortunately my new house isn't working out that well as far as bills go and i can barely pay everything off this month. as soon as possible i will take him to the vet, and i'll take him regardless if it gets worse, but i think i remember reading somewhere that vitamin A helps their eyes, like if i were to get the pills and cut them open and try to get some of the goop on his eye it might help. i am changing the water daily, and his new, bigger tank was shipped yesterday and should be here within the week. *woot* any suggestions for helping him be more comfortable until i can afford real medicine?

Try some cod liver oil and apply it to the eyelid with a q-tip.

Are the eyes swollen at all? Is it only the one eye that appears to be affected? If so, you might get some Zoo-Med eye drops and put them in the affected eye. (It could be an infection/injury rather than a Vit A deficiency, which is mainly what you would use the cod liver oil for). If the other eye appears normal, and there's no real swelling, it sounds like an infection/injury.

How clean was the water kept while you were away?

If you use the drops and you don't see improvment fairly quickly, a vet visit would be a good idea.

Thanks Marisa, I never can keep it straight. Sure thing that if I recommend one thing, it should be the other, and vice versa. Are there pics anywhere where it shows the difference between the two??...just because I am a visual learner, lol.

hey! thanks for the responses. it is only one eye, and after looking more carefully it seems to be the secondary eyelid that is swollen and pink. the eye itself looks ok but the clear, almost sideways inner eyelid is the one irritated. i'll get some eyedrops asap, and see if that helps. i'm not sure about the quality of the water... the friends i was supposed to leave him with never answered my call or came home when i needed to drop him off. it was hard enough to leave him, and even more so when they didn't seem to give a rip. i ended up leaving him with my brother-in-law, who isn't really a meticulous type of person, though he came through for me and kept leo alive and for that i am very grateful! the water was far too hot when i went to pick him up (it was about 84) but it didn't look especially dirty. it may just be one of those things, but hopefully it won't get any worse! thanks so much for your help, as always!

with some good husbandry all should be fine. i recomend those zoo med drops. ( if you go to the vet it will cost you 50-100 $ for the same medicen in a perscription bottle)

fish

i've had the drops for about 3 days or so and i think it's getting better! it's still there but the red part isn't as big. thanks very much!

he's well again! I haven't had the drops for quite a week, but i'll keep treating him until the week is up just to make sure. but its no longer pink or swollen. and, i found the key to making him eat veggies.... if i cook it, he goes straight for it and eats it all. thus, i now cook more for my turtle than for myself or my boyfriend. any weird items that some turtles like? leo likes yellow squash and carrots best, but i've heard of some things like yams being liked very well. we should have a "my turtle likes the weirdest thing" contest.

You can clean he/she eyes with a solution of distiled water and 3% boric acid or a solution of distiled water and salt or the old standard sulfamethiazine. Do this morning and night. You might want to use cotton or a q-tip to apply the solution.

Back when one of our turtles had a swollen eye. This is what we done for it. It came for another web site my husband found. His eye got better. I know it is late to be telling this information. But someone else might want to know.

Yes, the distilled water and boric acid solution can be effective as well. I kind of like the turtle drops as well, though, because they contain some Vit A in them and the solution is easier to use (doesn't have to be mixed).

HEY EVERYONE, I really need some help. I got home today to see Kaylee up on the rock 'basking' for a while two hours. Usually she jumps down when i get home but she didn't. To make a long story short, after she came down I noticed that her left eye is swollen and she is not opening it. I am really worried and already upset about it becuase I dont know what to do. Can someone please advise me..what does it sound like..what can i do to help her. Please help me.

JuelisKaylee, I put your other topic of the same question here:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4321

Thank you, I saw it.