Tortoise Eye Problems: Causes, Prevention, and Breeder Remedies

Eye disorders in land tortoises are a frequent cause of trouble, which is why this topic deserves a dedicated page to help even beginner keepers orient themselves and catch potential problems right in the bud. Over years of tortoise keeping, I have frequently encountered situations where keepers report that their "tortoise has eye trouble." What exactly does this mean? Either the tortoise gradually stops opening its eyes completely, or it has trouble with one of the eyelids, which either fails to retract properly or only retracts partially, leaving the tortoise looking out through just a narrow slit.

I have been collecting all available information regarding this issue for several years, but unfortunately, a common denominator or single definitive cause has not yet been found.

To start, we must review a few basic facts. A land tortoise’s eye should be glossy like a black bead, without discharge. One of the eyelids may cover the eye by a maximum of one-third (1/3). Some tortoises have had this since hatching, and it is not a disease, rather an individual exception. Tortoises usually open their eyes gradually upon waking rather than all at once like humans do, so this is also entirely normal.

If a tortoise rubs its eye with its front leg for an extended period, it is a sign of either a problem or a foreign object trapped inside. This can be resolved by soaking in water, flushing, and subsequently applying eye ointment (see our tortoise first aid kit list). Accidents happen to tortoises as well, leading to injuries from foreign objects or another tortoise’s claw during group housing. This covers the basic information regarding the issue.

Back to tortoises experiencing problems: In most cases, such sick tortoises remain normally active, and the keeper either notices impaired spatial orientation (for example, when feeding, the tortoise cannot "hit" its chosen treat) or it wanders around the enclosure practically blind with its eyes completely shut. With few exceptions, this problem is usually not accompanied by any eye discharge or other visible health issues. You should initially try to rule out other illnesses, which is quite difficult (especially for beginners). In any case, the tortoise should not have a soft carapace or any beak/nasal discharge.

In some serious tortoise illnesses, eye trouble is merely one more complication in a chain leading to mortality. However, we should focus on individuals where eye trouble is the sole limiting factor. If you are ever unsure, it is always worth visiting a veterinarian rather than neglecting the problem and risking the animal’s life.

Early success stories and procedures from breeders can be found below this article. I am not claiming they will help in every case, but they will assist at least a portion of tortoises. I am not repeating treatment procedures found in the TORTOISE FIRST AID KIT, but focusing purely on this specific eye issue.

Interestingly, in my own breeding practice, I have practically encountered this problem in only a few tortoises over a span of several years—meaning it hardly occurs here at all. It invariably affects small-scale keepers where problems appear after some time in their care. If they own multiple tortoises, it is almost always an isolated individual rather than an entire group, which largely rules out systemic husbandry errors.

My personal view (euzelva.cz): This mostly concerns tortoises kept in indoor conditions, especially during the winter months, which could point toward improper diet combined with husbandry conditions where weaker individuals fall ill. Therefore, as soon as you notice these problems, I would emphasize starting these measures immediately:

In rare individual cases, a tortoise may suffer from allergies—even to certain foods or lighting used. Therefore, it would be worth temporarily taking lighting out of service (sequentially for about 14 days at a time). If the condition visibly improves, the individual is sensitive to that specific lamp, and you must try a different manufacturer. I must note that I have already encountered this with one keeper, though these are exceptional cases.

In conclusion, I would like to ask all keepers for help: If any of you figures out how to successfully cure this persistent eye issue, I will gladly publish it here.

And one final piece of advice: Always approach eye problems with absolute calm and careful consideration. Do not panic; what looks like an insoluble problem at first glance may return to normal shortly. There is no point in instantly rushing to the vet and needlessly distressing the tortoise with hasty treatments. It is usually not life-threatening, and level-headedness pays off. Therefore, I wish all land tortoise keepers not only smooth keeping but also as few eye troubles with your tortoises as possible.

You can share your experiences in the Discussion Forum.

1) We discussed the eye problem concerning a Hermann’s tortoise. You asked me to let you know if things worked out. Finally, after 3 months, I can write that things look promising and I am overjoyed. I don’t know precisely what helped, but I will outline the measures I took.

I left the terrarium door on the "cool side" open to allow better air circulation and lower the temperature in the cool zone. I raised the UVB lamp slightly higher and ran it for only 1–2 hours a day. Initially, I flushed the eyes with Opthalmo, then received vitamin A ointment (Vita-Pos) from the vet. I applied this 3 times a day for about 2 weeks. Afterward, it seemed quite stressful for the tortoise whenever it was sleeping and I woke it to apply ointment, etc. So I decided to apply it only occasionally when active. Otherwise, I provided as much peace and quiet as possible without unnecessary handling. Thus, for the past 2 weeks, I applied ointment only occasionally and simultaneously soaked the tortoise in chamomile 2–3 times a week. On Sunday after soaking and applying ointment, white lids formed over both of the tortoise’s eyes. Shortly after, I saw the lid disappear from the right eye, revealing a beautiful, healthy black eyeball. The second eye cleared up 3 days later.

I am very happy and hope everything remains well. I’m wondering whether to keep applying ointment... To summarize, it probably takes mostly time and patience.

2) We bought two tortoises (Testudo hermanni) from you—currently two years old. We had a problem during winter, so I prefer to ask to prevent it from recurring. Sometime in February, one little tortoise stopped seeing, its eyes were slightly swollen, then turned completely white as if covered by an opaque white film. No pus, no discharge, and it ate very little. Opthalmo-Framykoin ointment didn’t work, so we visited a vet supposedly knowledgeable about tortoises.

Well, essentially she approved the ointment, weighed the tortoise, gave it some nutritional support... then came a follow-up check; thankfully the tortoise didn’t "lose weight," but its eyes didn’t improve at all... if anything, they got worse. For that follow-up, we brought both tortoises because the second one started showing the exact symptoms described above... roughly three weeks after the first tortoise. The vet still didn’t know. I wondered if it could be vitamins, lighting, bedding—she said anything was possible. The ointment continued to be ineffective. After two months, both tortoises started seeing normally again and now their eyes are completely fine... without treatment.

What could have caused it?
1) We bought an unfamiliar coconut fiber substrate from a branded pet shop that came pre-packaged and ready to use. Could it have irritated their eyes, contained impurities or parasites...? As soon as the second tortoise showed symptoms, we threw that bedding out immediately. (EUZELVA: YES, THAT COULD WELL HAVE CAUSED IT!)
2) Could it have been diet? Vitamin A deficiency? The previous winter they ate the exact same thing and were fine. Essentially various types of greens. (EUZELVA: CANNOT BE RULED OUT)
Over time, it started improving on its own (without ointment) right when dandelions began growing outside.

So my question is: If it was caused by diet, wouldn’t it be better to add powdered tortoise vitamins during winter? Or is it possible it really was the bad substrate? (EUZELVA: YES, BOTH OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.)

The keeper adds in hindsight:
I would like to add information to your article about tortoise eye problems (<http://euzelva.cz/nemocne-oci-u-zelv>), where you quoted my email. This year we did not change substrate to any unknown brand, the tortoises had the exact same diet as last year, and experienced zero eye problems. Therefore, I conclude the problem genuinely stemmed from an untested substrate. (EUZELVA: I AGREE, NOT ALL SUBSTRATES ARE CREATED EQUAL; THERE ARE MANY MANUFACTURERS AND SOMETIMES QUALITY IS POOR. Hence the rule: what works well in our tortoise keeping, we simply do not change.)

3) Good day, I would like to contribute to the sick tortoise eyes section. We have a Russian tortoise at home, about 10 cm, kept on a balcony. Two years ago around May, its eyes closed and it refused to open them. Despite this, it ate food with difficulty. Initially, we applied Opthalmo-Framykoin, but after a week, it didn’t stop. I decided to leave everything to nature. The eyes weren’t swollen, but it kept them closed and constantly rubbed them against its legs.

About 3 weeks later, it opened them and we discovered—or at least it seemed to me—that it was shedding skin from them. A piece of skin sloughed off the eye. It looked exactly like when a turtle closes its eyes, and the total shedding process took up to 1 month. Afterward, it opened them, everything was fine, it survived hibernation healthy, and lives to this day without any complications. During similar problems, there is no need to panic; nature usually handles it. – Branislav Petho

4) Hello Mr. Junek, I would like to inform you about the health status development of our tortoises regarding their eyelids. At the time we spoke, one tortoise was already blind and the other already had 1/3 of its eye covered by its eyelid. Upon visiting a veterinary clinic, the doctor diagnosed the cause without hesitation as a vitamin deficiency due to the winter season and an insufficiently varied diet at that time.

Both tortoises received a vitamin injection with instructions to return for a check-up in a week. Throughout the entire week, nothing changed. At the follow-up, I immediately reported to the doctor that there was still no change. He just smiled slightly and said: "I’m curious what you’ll say next week :-)". After a week, they received a second dose of vitamins... and I can tell you that even on the 12th day after the first vet visit (injections on days 1 and 8), the tortoises were still in the exact same state. On the 13th day I was away all day, so I don’t know their condition, but sure enough, on the 14th day, the previously completely blind one had its eyelid retracted halfway. The other eye unfortunately had an inflammation, so the doctor cleaned it and we administered eye drops for 5 days. Now at another check-up, the tortoises are completely fine, with the doctor noting they have "a sparkle in their eye" (which I must agree with, as their eyes previously looked dry and lifeless).

We fed the tortoises commercial pellets only once a week; it crossed my mind whether that might be too little, especially during the winter season. We have a female friend who feeds her tortoise completely improperly and doesn’t have ideal conditions like we do, and she never had this problem... But that’s just an observation; I lack experience, so please don’t take it personally :-)

Anyway, I would gladly recommend this to anyone else facing the same problem we had. It’s worth noting that the injections cost us 50 CZK; I believe financial costs deter many people from treatment, yet in connection with this therapy they are negligible, which few people realize. I am glad I visited the vet in Náchod. He reaffirmed that their experience is truly professional and factual, rather than merely read from books :-) – Tereza Š.

euzelva: Essentially, during winter, diet is important, but husbandry conditions can also trigger health issues; it is always a combination of multiple causes. For instance, I do not struggle with this problem at all, and eye diseases practically never occur in my breeding setup (not even among hatchlings). I feed commercial pellets once a week and rotate manufacturers, diversifying diet only on weekends. I use the highest quality UVB lamps, and CaCO3 dusting is an integral part of my daily routine. I believe that in weaker individuals, a convergence of circumstances can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies within the organism. Injection therapy is the fastest way to supply everything necessary as soon as possible. On the other hand, I cannot endorse reckless and uncontrolled feeding of tortoises with whatever food happens to land in the keeper’s hands... Fortunately, these problems occur minimally, and it is all the more gratifying when treatment succeeds!

Thanks to the diligent work of a land tortoise keeper, you can read about a successful eye treatment protocol. I have already dedicated plenty of time to this issue on the website, but in my opinion, this is another essential piece of the puzzle in curing land tortoise eye problems. If this well-documented procedure works for your tortoise as well, I kindly ask for feedback via my email. This is the only way we can determine whether this treatment represents a major breakthrough in solving this pressing issue.

I am not writing to ask for advice, but rather to share my experience regarding the treatment of the widely discussed problem of conjunctivitis in tortoises. I faced a similar issue with one of my tortoises and managed to cure it. I found inspiration for the treatment on a forum where another owner treated her tortoise in a similar way, but I delved much deeper into the problem (ensuring precise dosage, comprehensive monitoring of the tortoise’s condition, and immediate symptomatic resolution of secondary issues). All my findings, including photo documentation, are summarized below.

Case Record and Treatment:

• Species: Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)
• Name / ID: Žofka, carapace number 56
• Birthdate: July–August 2015
• Anamnesis: The tortoise had long been problem-free, purchased for breeding in November 2015 along with two other specimens. At purchase, it weighed 19.2 g. From the beginning, it exhibited slower growth compared to its siblings. In summer 2017, weight reached 54 g. In spring 2017, a fecal flotation test revealed pinworms (Enterobius). Since tortoises are common hosts for pinworms and the infestation was minor (asymptomatic and without issues), no anthelmintics were administered.
• Husbandry Conditions: Tortoise table 100 x 50 cm, substrates consisting of Lignocel + sand and river pebbles. Terrasaur 160 W UVB mercury vapor lamp (10 hrs/day; temperature 35–38 °C / 95–100 °F) and ambient lighting (11 hrs/day). The temperature in the cool zone does not exceed 25 °C (77 °F). Fed a meadow weed mix with occasional limestone dusting. Kept outdoors in summer 2016, kept entirely indoors in terrariums during 2017 due to moving, and an outdoor pen planned again for 2018.

Illness: The tortoise began experiencing failing vision, and a corneal clouding developed in its eyes. The tortoise remained active, ate, and its weight was stable. Initially, Ocuflash drops were administered for moisturization, followed by topical broad-spectrum antibiotic drops (Maxitrol). The condition continued to deteriorate until the tortoise became completely blind, with swollen and tightly shut eyelids. The ability to open its eyelids was severely restricted and evidently painful for the tortoise. The tortoise began losing weight, and its activity was significantly reduced. Food intake was maintained but restricted (complicated by the tortoise’s inability to aim properly at food).

Treatment: Administered Vitamin A (Kombisol A – 150,000 IU of Vit. A per 1 ml) per os. Dosage: 100,000 IU/kg, resulting in a dose of 5,000 IU, which equals 1/30 ml. To facilitate administration, an insulin syringe was used (the given dose corresponds to 3.3 insulin units). The dose was diluted in the syringe with an appropriate amount of water for better intestinal absorption. Repeated every 7 days.

Therapy Adjustment: After consulting a veterinarian, I decided to modify the dosage. The 100,000 IU/kg dosage applies to single intramuscular injections. Oral administration (per os) is less effective, and hatchlings have higher vitamin requirements. The veterinarian suggested a dose of 5,000 IU / 48 hours. Since retinol can cause overdosing, I decided on a dose of 5,000 IU twice a week, starting from the 2nd dose according to the original schedule.

To prevent secondary infection, Maxitrol was continued (1 drop per eye/day), with Ocuflash flushes used for moisturization as needed.
Therapy Adjustment: Due to prolonged Maxitrol use, the local antibiotic was switched to Ofloxacin.

The tortoise was moved to quarantine to minimize stress from other tortoises and better monitor food intake and other factors.

Due to a relatively high weight drop in a short period, the tortoise appeared dehydrated. For rehydration and appetite stimulation, watermelon juice with blended pulp was administered per os using a syringe (high water content → rehydration; high sugar content → energy).

Conclusion: After four doses of Vit. A, the tortoise’s condition improved. Vitamin A administration will be concluded after the 5th dose. The tortoise will remain in quarantine to monitor weight and overall condition. A maintenance dose of Vit. A will be given one month after treatment ends.

Breeder’s Afterword:
Unfortunately, the common denominator for these types of conjunctivitis remains largely unknown. The tortoise was kept in identical conditions to two other tortoises, and they remain healthy and thriving. I believe this stems from a Vitamin A deficiency dating back to birth, with symptoms accumulating over time as vitamin reserves become depleted. For that reason, I endorse occasionally dusting young tortoises’ food with a vitamin supplement. Whether this is indeed the exact reason, however, remains a matter of speculation.

Breeder’s Comment (euzelva):
That is quite plausible; occasional dietary supplementation is beneficial. Likewise, a varied, suitable diet interspersed with occasional "treats" (various fruits). All of this must be fed in moderation, not daily. Tortoises are herbivores, and no one should forget that. Once again, it is confirmed that this problem originates from long-term vitamin or mineral deficiencies combined with the specific sensitivity of the individual. Injection therapy is the fastest method to supply everything necessary to the organism as quickly as possible. On the other hand, I cannot endorse reckless and uncontrolled feeding of tortoises with whatever food happens to land in the keeper’s hands... Fortunately, these problems occur minimally, and it is all the more gratifying when treatment succeeds!

euzelva: I will be glad if other keepers write to me sharing your experiences with this eye treatment and how you resolved this issue. As it appears, the mentioned treatment helps, hurray! Thank you all very much, and we already have our first success.

1) Hello Mr. Junek,
I am not registered on your forum, but because the opinions and advice here helped me immensely, I would like to thank everyone who posts contributions here—at least through you—because they truly simplify keeping for beginners like us. Regarding our tortoise’s eye problem that I wrote to you about in mid-October, I followed the advice of Mr. Dejmek and others (Lenka and Denisa, who were also inspired by his advice), purchased Kombisol A, used the exact same dosage (our tortoise was similarly sized – 38 g), and within just 1 week a difference was visible. Now we are giving the 3rd (and final) dose of 1 drop, and everything appears to be in order. The tortoise’s eyes look like little beads, it can see and reacts to everything, so we will not extend the treatment further. Thank you very much to you and the other breeders. – Barbora

Mar 07, 2022 euzelva: I will be glad if other keepers write to me sharing your experiences with this eye treatment. As it appears, the mentioned treatment helps, hurray! Thank you all very much, and we already have our second success.

2) Good evening. I want to let you know how we fared with treating our Speedy’s eyes. Since the problem in December, we have been administering just one drop of moisturizing eye drops once a day (previously 3 times a day). And once a week ever since, we give him 1 tiny drop of vitamin drops on a commercial pellet (see photo). His little eyes are gorgeous. Do you think it’s right to continue doing this indefinitely? I don’t want to risk inadvertently harming him. He is vital, eats, runs around like always. I was so happy I cured him. I would love to know your opinion. He was hatched in August 2020, what do you think? Thank you... – Anonymous Keeper

euzelva: My opinion is that after all symptoms of the sick eye subside, you should continue the final treatment for about 14 days. Afterwards, simply observe closely.

Warning!

Since this is a treatment method based solely on keeper experience, everyone must evaluate its use for their own tortoise always at their own risk!