What does turtle white-eye disease look like?
Expert Answer
White-eye disease is a fairly common turtle illness, mainly showing eye inflammation and swelling, with a white discharge covering the outside of the eye so the turtle can’t open it normally. The sick turtle may rub its eye often, seem restless, move less, lose appetite, sometimes tilt its head up, and breathe quickly. As it worsens, it may also show pus from the nose, refusal to eat, and weight loss; severe cases can even develop secondary infection and die. Turtle white-eye disease is usually linked to poor water quality, lack of ultraviolet light, improper feeding (such as oily food), crowded housing, and fighting between turtles. You can treat it with antibiotic eye drops or ointment, while improving the turtle’s living environment—keep the water clean, raise the temperature appropriately, and ensure it gets enough UV exposure.
My turtle's white-eye cleared with vet drops and dry-docking, but it starts exactly like this, swollen eye, white film, can't open. Left alone it leads to refusal to eat and weight loss, even death, so don't wait. Keep him warm, out of water in stretches, and use proper turtle eye medication. If there's nose discharge too, it's progressing, get an aquatic-vet look, because eye disease in turtles goes downhill quietly.