by Barb Taliaferro

Created on: February 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 04, 2009

Sugar gliders are nocturnal creatures, meaning that they are active, predominantly at night. Because of this, they have very large eyes that bulge slightly out of the side of their heads. The size and placement of their eyes makes it easy for sugar gliders to see well in the dark, but it also opens them up to frequent eye problems. These problems, whether caused by infection or injury, can lead to permanent blindness if not treated quickly.

CAUSES

Many things can cause an eye infection in a sugar glider. The large size of the eyes and the fact that they protrude out from the side of the head makes it easy for small pieces of food or bedding to get stuck in them or for the eye to get scratched by another animal. Once the eye has been injured, it may become infected, causing a white or yellow discharge from the eye. This discharge may also cause the eye lids to become stuck closed increasing the possibility of damage to the eye itself. Infections may also be caused by viruses or bacteria in the eye causing symptoms similar to that of pink eye in human beings.

TREATMENTS

It is easy to treat most sugar glider eye infections with over the counter medications designed for human eyes. It is best to get a product labelled as natural tears or saline solution. If the eye is sealed shut, use a warm wet compress to soften the discharge and then very gently separate the lids. Once the eye is open add a few drops of the saline solution. Do this several times a day and you should see a marked improvement by the next day. If you do not see any improvement after a day, then the infection may be caused by a virus or a foreign body that has become embedded in the eye tissue. In these cases, you will need to take the animal to the vet quickly to get further treatment to prevent further damage to the eye. Also, in the case of viral infections, you want to treat the illness quickly to avoid it spreading to any other gliders you may have.

Sugar gliders are like humans in the respect that they rely on their vision much more than their other senses. One that has gone blind, even in just one eye, will have a difficult time getting around. Untreated eye problems can quickly lead to blindness, so it is important to keep your sugar glider's eyes healthy. Watch them carefully, their eyes should be wide open, bright and moist looking. If they are not, then it may signal the onset of an eye infection or illness.

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