Leopard Gecko Eye Problems: Stuck Shed & Swelling
| Most common cause | Stuck shed from low humidity |
| Home treatment | Warm shallow soaks, 15–20 min |
| See a vet if | Shut past 48 hrs, swelling, or discharge |
Why this happens
Unlike most gecko species, leopard geckos have true moveable eyelids rather than a fixed transparent scale — this makes eye problems easier to spot, but shed skin can still get trapped around the eyelid rim, especially if the humid hide was too dry during a shed cycle.
Safe home care
Soak the gecko in shallow, shoulder-depth warm water (around 85–90°F) for 15–20 minutes to soften stuck shed, then gently wipe with a damp cotton bud. Never peel dry shed off the eye by force.
When it's more than stuck shed
Swelling, discharge, redness, or an eye that stays shut for more than 48 hours can signal a bacterial infection or an abscess near the eye or mouth, and needs a reptile vet — effective topical treatment usually requires a prescription.
Prevention
Keep the humid hide reliably moist through every shed cycle, check tricky spots like the eyes, toes, and tail tip after each shed, and make sure vitamin A intake is adequate, since deficiency is linked to eye problems.
See the full care guides guide, or browse all 593 info pages.
A single adult leopard gecko needs a 20-gallon long tank as an absolute minimum, with a 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) footprint now considered the recommended standard — plus a secure lid, an under-tank heater on a thermostat, a thermal gradient, at least three hides, and a shallow water dish.
Set up in this order: substrate, then heat source wired through a thermostat, then hides and water dish, then decor — and run the whole enclosure for at least 24–48 hours to confirm stable temperatures before your gecko moves in.
Hatchlings can start in a 10-gallon tank or tub, juveniles do well in 20 gallons, and adults need a 20-gallon long as an absolute minimum — with 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) now the widely recommended standard, not just an upgrade.
Heat a leopard gecko enclosure with an under-tank heater and/or overhead heat source (halogen or deep heat projector) wired through a thermostat — a thermostat is mandatory, not optional, and heat rocks should never be used.
Leopard geckos can survive without UVB using dietary D3 supplementation, but current husbandry guidance now recommends low-level UVB (roughly 2–6% T5) as best practice — it improves D3 synthesis, bone density, and natural behavior, and views on it have shifted significantly from older nocturnal-species advice.
Keep ambient humidity around 30–40% across most of the enclosure, with a dedicated humid hide raised to roughly 70–80% to support smooth, complete sheds.