Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i got a baby jungle bac in dec. from reptilicus reptiles she is the best lil thing and the saddest thing happend to her. her left eye got 2-3x bigger than normal over night so i had to take her to the animal ER that happens to also deal with exotics(it was like 5pm. when i noticed it) i get there and after sitting forever they tell me she has glaucoma and they have to remove the eye. They couldnt tell me how or why she got it but she had it. Instead of putting her under they gave her a shot that will dry out the eye an dit will shrink away and fall out in a week or so. thank you for reading any input would be nice

I'm terribly sorry to hear about this. Glaucoma? I've never heard of such a thing happening to a snake. However, I do have a possible alternate explanation...

Behind the clear modified scales that cover and protect your python's eyes (called ocular scales), there is a fluid similar to our tears. From what I understand, this fluid continually flows through the eyes (again, behind the ocular scale) and drains into the mouth by way of two small tubes, or channels; one tube stemming from each eye. If one of these passages becomes clogged or obstructed, the fluid has nowhere to go, and pressure will start building up. This can make the eye swell tremendously. I have witnessed this in a Reticulated Python that I sold several years back.

The normal procedure is to drain the eye in order to relieve the pressure, and then to clear whatever is blocking the tear duct from draining. The Retic I mentioned did make a full recovery and did not lose it's eye. Again, I've never heard of a snake developing Glaucoma, and absolutely none of our snakes have any sort of eye trouble. In any case, I will try to research the matter further to see what I can find out for you. I know some very good herp vets.

Feel free to give me a call.

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Will Leary
Reptilicus Reptiles
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Most of us here keep/breed these animals because of our passion for them. It's always very painful when a beloved animal has a health issue - especially when its a gem like one of Will's jungles.

After reading your original post and then Will's reply, Im pretty sure that both Will and your vet are talking about the same condition. In my countless readings on snakes I can recall various accounts of eye infections caused by fluid blockage in the tear ducts. I can't ever remember hearing of it referred to as "glaucoma" in the snake world, but I'm pretty sure that what Will describes with the retic would be described as glaucoma by a vet or physician.
I read that it happens in many snakes, not just pythons and can be (but not always) triggered by retained eye scales. Did your snake shed properly last time?

Fluid retention, swelling, pressure build-up.... It all sounds like human glaucoma. I have heard that cannibis relieves the pain in human patients, perhaps it would for your snake too

Seriously though, I really hope that your snake makes it through alright. It sounds like the snake is in great hands. You took it to a vet, you've sought help from experienced keepers on the forum even though its hard to admit your animal is having problems. It just sounds like you're doing everything you possibly can and you really care.

Im sure your snake will be fine and will grow up to be a true stunner! Now you just have to come up with a name for it like, "cylops" or something funny!

Best of luck with everything let us know how it turns out.
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- Joe Farah

every shed she has had has been perfect so not the problem there i guess she just wanted to test me to see i f i would take good care of her or something. always the females that have to be testy lol. well thanks for input and what not ill keep you guys updated on her let you know how she is doin. she is in the blue right now so well see. she has vet recheck in a few days so ill have to go from there. and one eye or two shes still a great snake.

thanks again to those who replied wish me the best on her