Is an Eyelid Mandatory for Tortoise Comfort

[EppsDynasty]

Some are aware already but there may be some that are not...My family has taken in a Desert Tortoise named Jo Jo that had been left in a abandoned houses duck pen. The ducks tormented her for an unknown amount of time, causing injuries to her head and front legs. Her left eye was encapsulated in a "Scab" when we received her, once properly treated there was an eye but not an eyelid. She is able to see to some extent out of this eye but can not close it ever, this demands daily applications of Artificial Tears to prevent her eye from "Drying."
Here's the question.....Would she have a life with less discomfort and not as many challenges if the eye is surgically removed. I know this may seem drastic to some, but her having a life with as little discomfort is my goal ... Whatever that means and Whatever it takes. I sincerely appreciate your honest thoughts and feelings regarding this unusual question. Please feel free to express any thoughts, questions or concerns you may have. Thank You My TFO Friends in advance.

 

[Yvonne G]

I may be speaking out of my ear, but in my opinion, because they don't blink like we do, it's probably not bothering her.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I may be speaking out of my ear, but in my opinion, because they don't blink like we do, it's probably not bothering her.

To properly process this answer could you please specify which ear ... Right or Left?
I do understand, to remove human emotions, thoughts is hard to do. I'm not a tortoise is what I find me telling myself, try to "Look" at it from a tortoise view. Thank You Yvonne.

 

[Yvonne G]

lower!

 

[Maggie3fan]

Take out that eye...

 

[EppsDynasty]

Take out that eye...

Thank You @Maggie3fan

 

[TechnoCheese]

Does the tortoise still have a 3rd eyelid, or does it really have no way to keep its eyes from drying?

 

[EppsDynasty]

Does the tortoise still have a 3rd eyelid, or does it really have no way to keep its eyes from drying?

There is absolutely no eyelid to protect, cover, lubricate. The eye muscles do contract like they would if an eyelid was there ... but no eyelid to move.

 

[TechnoCheese]

There is absolutely no eyelid to protect, cover, lubricate. The eye muscles do contract like they would if an eyelid was there ... but no eyelid to move.

In my completely unqualified opinion, I think it would be best to remove the eye. I'm sure she would adapt fine to having one working eye, especially if vision is limited in the lidless one. This is also assuming the eye does dry out if someone does not apply artificial tears for her. But, again, unqualified.

 

[EppsDynasty]

Thank You @TechnoCheese

 

[zolasmum]

I think it would be a good idea to consult the vet who might do the operation - I am thinking about JoJo having an anaesthetic, having to spend time at the vet's overnight or longer, having to keep a dressing on it while it healed and so on - I wonder if all these things might add up to so much stress that it would be unkind to put her through it at the moment, and if it would be better to get her sronger and fitter first, before considering it.
Angie

 

[zolasmum]

Another thought - as a compromise, would the vet be able to kind of kill off the nerves which make the eye see ( no idea what the right way is to explain what I mean) -leaving her with a non-functioning eye, which wouldn't be affected by light. It would still get dry, but you could deal with that. And it wouldn't be such a big operation.
Angie

 

[zolasmum]

The phrase I was looking for was - disable the optic nerve - going to that eye - she would be blind in that eye, but I would think it wouldn't be as major an operation as taking the eye out.
Angie

 

[ryan57]

I may be speaking out of my ear, but in my opinion, because they don't blink like we do, it's probably not bothering her.

I only have 2 years experience but I would think that if light is controlled at night the only time the lid is absolutely necessary is when digging in the dirt. If the digging is limited, even running water over the head at soak time would do it to make sure it's not drying out or bothering the tortoise.

 

[zovick]

The phrase I was looking for was - disable the optic nerve - going to that eye - she would be blind in that eye, but I would think it wouldn't be as major an operation as taking the eye out.
Angie

I am not a vet, but I am a dentist, and this is just my opinion going by my knowledge of head and neck anatomy:

It seems to me the easiest access to the optic nerve (without compromising the brain and the skull) would be at the back of the eye socket, so to get at that area and cause the least harm to the animal (such as brain damage), the eyeball would most probably need to be removed. Not sure if it could be put back in place after the nerve was cauterized or not.

Maybe a vet could remove that eye, cauterize the nerve, and place a prosthetic eyeball into the socket. IE, what one might call a "glass eye".

 

[EppsDynasty]

@zolasmum ... This would be something down the road, after the shell repair and healing has completed at a minimum. I agree that the stress would be pretty big and has to be factored into the equation. The vet that I was thinking of was Dr. Boyer in San Diego, as a consult. Not sure of a Certified Tortoise Eye Guy or Gal.
@ryan57 ... I think we have a routine she likes at night ... She wants to be absolutely covered by a fabric that does not allow light to pass through it, then in the morning uncover. During the day though there are times where it seems she would like a little less light. She as of yet has not had a real problem with dirt getting in the eye.
@zovick ... I agree with "It might just be easier to take it out" complication wise. A glass eye on a tort ...Thats kinda cool. A blue eyed tort. This is of course if the eye is removed.
Thank You for the responses this is exactly what I had in mind, get some more input..