Mysterious Eye & Respiratory Issues

[SpiritScale]

I've had Cahaya (2-3 year old 23.5 inch Merauke) since mid-September.
S/he's settled in pretty well, but about a month after coming home I noticed whistling/suspicious breathing when he seemed to very active or stressed, but no discharge or open mouth breathing/excessive sneezing. So I kept an eye on it.
About two weeks ago the wheezing began even at rest and lethargy began so I rushed Cahaya off to my exotics vet.
While we were there, the vet and I both notice that the right (if I was looking at Cahaya face to face) eye is swollen with clear fluid. Not the whole eye, not the tissue around it, but literally that there is fluid trapped between the pupil/iris and outer membrane of the eye.
Looking back at some old photos of him it was there when I rescued them, I guess I had missed it since it wasn't as progressed.

Cahaya was put on 3 days of anti-inflammatories and 2 weeks of daily baytril injections. The vet says it is possible that either there is A) a respiratory infection AND tear duct blockage occurring simultaneously or B) the respiratory infection is causing sinus etc swelling preventing drainage.
We finished the injections yesterday and there was improvement in the breathing and at least some (but not a lot) drainage in the swollen eye. This is good news because it most likely means that risky and expensive surgery to open/replace the blocked duct probably isn't needed. I was told to continue with another two weeks of baytril (orally this time) and then come back if Cahaya's breathing wasn't 100% yet and the eye was not completely normal.

Overall Cahaya's breathing is much better, but still has good/bad days (sometimes clicks and whistles but no more wheezes and lethargy, is quietly breathing at rest). The eye is still iffy but much better as well. S/he's due to shed (I find there's more whistling right before a shed which gets better after shedding).

If this round of medications doesn't make it better, s/he'll be going in for an x-ray and possible assessment for surgery.
I've thought about the possibility of an abscess...but it seems like there's no swelling minus the fluid in the eye.

If anyone's had any experiences or suggestions or thoughts it'd be much appreciated.

[Tom]

Just curious. What sort of lighting are you using? Any UV bulbs? What kind?

[SpiritScale]

There's a Exo-Terra Intense Basking Spot 50 watt heat bulb and a Zoo-Med Reptisun 10.0 13watt UV bulb.
Cahaya is about 8 inches from them (they are mounted directly overhead).

[saisaac]

Is the 10.0 13 watt a CFL (Compact flourecent lightbulb)? There were a number of animals who suffered photoconjunctivitus from the various CFL products by Zilla, Exo-Terra, and Zoo Med when those were first released one of the symptoms was eye bulging. All CFLs can be potentially dangerous when you are exposed to them at close range unfiltered for extended periods of time. Cracks or gaps in the phosphor lining can allow dangerous amounts of UVC to escape which can damage the eyes and even DNA of animals.

Here is an article from a while back that explains this:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

[Tom]

Is the 10.0 13 watt a CFL (Compact flourecent lightbulb)? There were a number of animals who suffered photoconjunctivitus from the various CFL products by Zilla, Exo-Terra, and Zoo Med when those were first released one of the symptoms was eye bulging. All CFLs can be potentially dangerous when you are exposed to them at close range unfiltered for extended periods of time. Cracks or gaps in the phosphor lining can allow dangerous amounts of UVC to escape which can damage the eyes and even DNA of animals.

Here is an article from a while back that explains this:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

This is where I was going with this. The manufacturers claim that this problem was only in some limited early production runs and that it has been addressed, but I continue to see eye issues with reptiles housed under these cfl UV bulbs to this day. Not all of them cause problems, but some of them do, some of the time. I won't use them.

[saisaac]

Yeah I kind of guessed you might have been. I spoke with reps for Zoo Med at the HH Backer Pet Trade Expo in Chicago this fall, and they outright deny there have been any confirmed issues. The fact of the matter is that with that bulb shape they are more prone to cracks in the phosphor lining and there isn't much they can do about it. However, as CFLs became the norm for household use and with the fact that they work in dome lights, the companies recognize the monetary potential of the product and thus continue to back it.

[SpiritScale]

Yes, and I am aware of the issue.
Unfortunately (due to language laws where I live) it has been difficult to find (and afford) non-bulb UV lights.
I finally found someone who sells the tube UV lights and will be making the switch ASAP.

That said, Cahaya was not (if I remember correctly) given any UV light at all in their previous home and yet even back then had the eye issue. So I'm unsure if the UV bulb is the issue though no doubt it could be a contributing factor.

[Richard.C]

Yeah,id be thinking its nothing to do with the lighting