Herrman with a closed eye

[New tortoise mum]

I have had my tortoise Hermann for about a month, she is about a year old. When I picked her up I was told her closed eye was a birth defect. I have taken her to the vet and she received 3 antibiotic injections over 6 days. I have since been doing twice daily eye flushes and baths also using antibiotic gel. I have also been rubbing olive oil on the eye. This all in an attempt to see if the eye will open.
when I took her to a different vet who is more experienced with tortoises. They noticed her head is slightly flatter on the side where the eye is closed. The vet has told me the only way to know if there is a functioning eye is to do a MRI scan. It has also been mentioned the eye maybe fused closed.
I am wondering if anyone else has had this experience or has a one eyed tortoise and how it copes. I would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Big Charlie]

I don't know if it worth getting the MRI. Animals adapt very well to defects like this. I don't think having just one eye will be much of a problem. It is shame to subject him to antibiotic injections if that wasn't really the problem.

What kind of lights are you using? Coil bulbs have been known to cause eye problems.

 

[New tortoise mum]

I don't want to put the poor tortoise through anymore if not required especially a general anaesthetic. I am using a Arcadia UV basking bulb. Which is what I think her original owner was using. She is eating drinking, she is active for periods of time through the day between sleeping. Having one eye does not seem to be effecting her.

 

[Big Charlie]

Then I wouldn't worry. It is probably a birth defect. Since she is already a year old, even if there was a functioning eye under the lid, after so much time, the brain has adapted to only having one working eye, and it is doubtful she would be able to see out of it, even if the lid were fixed. It is also likely that the lid muscles wouldn't work properly.

 

[Taylor T.]

Could you post a photo of it? Just curious to see what it looks like.

 

[New tortoise mum]

I don’t know if you can see with these pictures if not I will try t get a better one.
Two is of the closed eye. The other one trying to show the difference in head shape.