Bearded Dragon Eye Infection Treatment

How do I treat my bearded dragon’s eye infection?

What caused my beardie’s eye infection?

What should I look for if I think my bearded dragon is developing an eye infection?

Are there at-home remedies to treat bearded dragon eye infections? 

Are there over-the-counter eye drops I can use at home to heal my beardie’s eyes?

Although bearded dragons are typically strong animals when cared for properly, eye infections are common in these lizards.

If your beardie is exhibiting unusual symptoms involving its eyes or you are concerned there is an infection, it is essential to receive the right diagnosis. 

This comes from narrowing down the cause of the infection. 

Once the cause is exposed, treatment is more straightforward.

Bearded Dragon Eye Infection Treatment

If your bearded dragon is exhibiting unusual symptoms around its eyes or is unable or refusing to open its eyes, it is likely suffering from an eye infection. Several different factors cause eye infections, and each cause has its treatment. This article will discuss the various causes of eye infections and the best treatments for each occurrence.

The first step to take in identifying an eye infection in your bearded dragon is recognizing the symptoms. 

If your reptile is usually in good health but is suddenly experiencing difficulties surrounding its eyes, it is likely suffering from an infection. 

All bearded dragon illnesses should be taken seriously and should never be left untreated.

Common symptoms of bearded dragon’s eye infections include:

• Swollen eyes
• Refusal to open eyes
• Inability to open eyes
• Eye discharge
• Small red or black dots around the eyes
• Crusted eyes
• Droopy eyes

If your beardie is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is vital to take them to the vet to be checked up. 

An untreated eye infection may lead to permanent damage and possible blindness.

One of the symptoms from this list may be a false sign of an infection. 

Some bearded dragons experience slightly swollen eyes when in the process of shedding their skin.

This is especially true for beardies stuck in a shedding mode. 

If your beardie is in an enclosure with inadequate humidity, the shedding process will prove to be difficult and prolonged. Aim for 30-40% humidity in your bearded dragon’s tank. You can mist your beardie, place a humidifier close to its tank, or keep a water dish inside the enclosure.

When observing your bearded dragon’s eyes and noticing they appear to be slightly swollen, you should first determine whether this puffiness is a result of shedding skin. 

If you are unable to tell, or the swelling persists or gets worse, take your lizard to the vet to get a professional opinion.

Causes of Bearded Dragon Eye Infections

Once you are aware of your bearded dragon’s infection, determining the infection’s cause is the next essential step. 

To find the proper treatment for your beardie, you must know what caused their illness in the first place.

The most common causes of infection in your bearded dragon’s eyes are poor diet, debris, lack of hygiene, and parasites.

Improper Diet

If your bearded dragon’s diets lack essential vitamins and minerals, they are more at risk for various diseases, including eye infections.

A varied diet is essential to prevent health issues from occurring in your pet.

Common health conditions include vitamin deficiencies. 

If your lizard is not absorbing enough vitamin A from its diet, it may develop issues surrounding its eyes.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient which promotes eye health. 

If bearded dragons do not consume or retain enough vitamin A in their diets, it could lead to illness. 

Vitamin A deficiency is also known as hypovitaminosis A.

Hypervitaminosis A is also an issue in bearded dragons and occurs when these reptiles consume too much Vitamin A.

Tip: Feed your bearded dragon enough collard greens. Or increase the foods that contain beta-carotene, such as squash and bell peppers. Your beardie will be able to make Vitamin A through these foods.

Substrate and Debris

Substrate is the material placed on the bottom of a reptile’s enclosure. 

Your substrate selection is an important decision and may affect the overall health of your pet reptile.

If you choose a loose substrate made of cheap materials or one which breaks apart easily and causes an excess of dust and debris, you may be harming your beardie without realizing it.

Loose substrate has an increased risk of getting into your bearded dragon’s eyes. 

If this happens, the substrate may scratch the eyes or become stuck in the eye sockets.

Either of these occurrences would make your dragon uncomfortable and lead to possible infection.

If you notice your beardie’s enclosure is excessively dusty and gets dirty easily, the substrate you’ve placed at the bottom is likely the cause of its eye irritation.

Poor Hygiene

Poor hygiene is also a risk factor for eye irritation in bearded dragons. 

As reptile owners, it is our responsibility to keep our pets’ enclosures clean. 

Failing to clean their tanks regularly could lead to a multitude of health issues for bearded dragons.

Leaving your pet to live in a dirty environment could potentially lead to a bacterial infection. 

A bacterial infection of any kind is dangerous for all species of reptile, including bearded dragons.

Parasites

Parasites are another common cause of eye irritation. 

A parasite is an organism which lives on or in a host organism. 

The parasite survives off of this host organism, often at the host’s expense.

Common parasites in bearded dragons are mites. 

If your beardie is experiencing an eye infection symptoms, an easy way to tell if it has mites is by examining the area around the eyes. 

Look for small red and black dots surrounding your bearded dragon’s eyes. 

These dots are signs of mites and are likely causing the irritation you’re observing.

Treatment For Bearded Dragon Eye Infections

Once you have determined the cause of your bearded dragon’s eye issues, you will be able to find the best treatment.

The proper treatment varies from situation to situation. 

Some treatments are simple at-home remedies, while others may be purchased over the counter or prescribed by a veterinarian.

If you’ve deduced lack of vitamin A is the source of your bearded dragon’s eye problems, the simple fix is adjusting its diet. 

You want to feed your beardie a varied diet and always ensure it is consuming the proper nutrients.

Feeding your bearded dragon kale, carrots, or peas should help reverse the deficiency. 

You should also be sure to gut load the crickets and other insects you feed your beardie with supplements and multi-vitamins.

A comforting at-home solution for eye inflammation and ocular discharge is a warm bath. 

Bathing your beardie in warm water will help soothe the eyes and reduce ocular discharge and swelling.

The Best Treatment

The all-around best treatment for bearded dragon eye infections is the reptile eye rinse, Repta Rinse by Fluker’s. 

This saline eyewash is sold on Amazon Prime. A 2 oz bottle is affordable.

Repta Rinse is useful for alleviating all sorts of eye issues. 

If your beardie is experiencing ocular discharge, these eye drops will help to wash it away.

Rinsing your bearded dragon’s eyes with saline helps flush them out when it is experiencing irritation from loose substrate.

Repta Rinse helps many reptiles, so if you are the owner of more than just bearded dragons, this product is extra useful.

You are able to use this solution multiple times per day, depending on the severity of the irritation. 

According to the bottle, if irritation does not reduce over several days, it is essential to contact your vet and bring your beardie in for a check-up.

Features

• Budget-friendly
• Useful for multiple reptiles
• Reputable reptile brands
• Easily accessible
• Well reviewed by customers (4.5 stars)
• Treats multiple types of bearded dragon’s eye infections

Preventing Eye Problems In Bearded Dragons

The best way to prevent future eye problems is by knowing the potential risk factors of infection.

Be sure you provide the proper lighting for your beardie. 

The wrong lighting may lead to a weakened reptile. 

Bad lighting refers to several factors, the main being a lack of UVB light. 

Without UVB lighting, your reptile will struggle to absorb essential nutrients and lead to an imbalance of calcium.

Feeding your bearded dragon a balanced diet with adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin A will also help with prevention.

Easy preventative measures to take are cleaning your beardie’s enclosure regularly and choosing the right reptile carpet. 

Remember, the loose substrate may cause irritation in the eyes and will contribute to a dirty tank.

Finally, keeping eye drops on hand is always a good idea. 

Rinsing the eyes with saline from time to time will help to keep them clean.

Do your best to keep your beardie’s enclosure at the ideal humidity and provide it with a good lighting setup.

Bright-Eyed and Healthy: Wrapping Up Eye Infection Treatment

Bearded dragons are hardy lizards who fall ill from time to time, and their eyes are no exception. 

Watching out for bearded dragon eye infections is an easy way to help your pet dragon stay healthy.

If you do notice any eye abnormalities, do your best to determine the cause of the issue. 

Fluker’s Repta Rinse is an excellent product to have in cases such as these. 

If you are unable to alleviate the irritation at home, be sure to take your pet to the vet to prevent the infection from worsening.