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My rudis chameleon has had her eye shut for about two weeks now... I believe it is an eye infection, I have seen her open the eye for brief periods of time once or twice, but other than that it is always shut. What can be done to treat an eye infection in chameleons? Also, any ideas as to what causes an eye infection? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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-Steve-
2.0 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Rudis Chameleon
0.1 Giant Day Gecko
0.0.3 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.2 Sulcata Tortoises
0.0.1 Central American Banded Gecko

Steve-

Long term eye problems, are a bad sign of internal problems. There could be a number or things. Is the chameleon still eating? If so you can try flushing the eye out with water or an eye wash, there could be something in it. Put terramycin on the eye after you flush it. But I would suggest a vet visit because most likely there are other things wrong then just an eye infection. Hope this helps!
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John @ Chameleon Paradise
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers
1.2 Rhampholeon uluguruensis

I need to ask you some questions: What type of supplement do you use, how many times a week do you dust your crickets, how many crickets do you feed it, you see inflammation or pussy discharge around the eye, do you see any abscesses, and are the eyes sunken in?

I use rep-cal calcium w/ vit.D3 (phosphorus free) three times a week, and miner-all multi-mineral supplement once a week, she usually eats about 4, 3-4 week old, crickets a day. I occasionally give her mealworms instead of crickets, some of the time I have to hold her over the bowl with crickets to get her to eat them. Her eye is generally closed and looks a little sunken. But when I went to see her this morning her eye was swolen way out, I misted her cage and it went back to its more normal looking closed position. I haven't seen any pussing discharge or abscesses. Also, I have only had her about a month, and I didn't think to ask if she was WC or CB when I bought her (I got her at the IRBA show in SD). I am now thinking she probably was WC and she may have parasites (base on what John said). I'll try to post a picture of her eye.
Thank you,
Steve
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-Steve-
2.0 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Rudis Chameleon
0.1 Giant Day Gecko
0.0.3 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.2 Sulcata Tortoises
0.0.1 Central American Banded Gecko

Here is a picture of the bad eye, I couldn't seem to get any unblurred pics of the bad eye because she always wanted to be looking at the camera with her good eye. This pic was the best of 10, hopefully it can be of some help... I'll try to take a better one tomorrow. Oh, and recently she has started hissing at me (past week) which she hadn't done before.

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-Steve-
2.0 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Rudis Chameleon
0.1 Giant Day Gecko
0.0.3 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.2 Sulcata Tortoises
0.0.1 Central American Banded Gecko

This is a pic of the good eye, for comparison I guess. I don't know if its of any help but here it is....

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-Steve-
2.0 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Rudis Chameleon
0.1 Giant Day Gecko
0.0.3 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.2 Sulcata Tortoises
0.0.1 Central American Banded Gecko

Since you said you see no abscesses, it couldn't be a periorbital abscess. You also said no inflammation, so it can't be conjunctivitis and you haven't been overdosing causing Vitamin A Defficiency. So the only things I can think of is foreign bodies under the eyelids and dry eye problems. Foreign bodies under the eyelids is whenever there is plant particles or dust under the eyelids of the chameleon. Treatment involves pulling up the eyelids (by taking him to the vet or you can do it) and flush the eyelids out with alot of water. You can also spray very easily at the eyes several times a day. You said his eyes were blown up, this means your chameleon was taking the water and trying to flush the eyes out itself. There can be severe corneal ulceration if the material is abrasive and is not soon removed. The dry eye problems in dehydrated Chameleons the eyes often become sunken and the Chameleon fails to open the eyes fully in the morning. This causes them to become stuck with discharge and the problem underneath becomes worse. It is imperative that these eyes be flushed by opening the lids at least once daily and by solving the animals other problems and hydration status. Start spraying your chameleon now 4-5 times a day 30 minutes for each time you spray for about two weeks. If this doesn't work call you vet and schedule an appointment.

Thank you very much, I think what you described is what my girl has. I was spraying her quite a bit this morning getting left over shed off her foot (I noticed it this morning and it is another sign of dehydration) and she did open her eye. I think you have figured out my problem and I am very amazed at your knowlege of chameleons. I was worried that her huidity was too low. I'll start spraying her and I think I'll try to set up a mister in her cage. Thank you thank you thank you.
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-Steve-
2.0 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Rudis Chameleon
0.1 Giant Day Gecko
0.0.3 Red Ear Sliders
0.0.2 Sulcata Tortoises
0.0.1 Central American Banded Gecko