Olive python shed stuck on eye

[lhughes]

Looking for advice please.
My 7 year old olive python has shed skin stuck over his eye. He’s never had any shedding issues before, apart from random bits on his body here and there which come off easily. His second last shed he had skin still stuck over both eyes, I was away at the time so I’m unsure of when it happened or how long the old skin was stuck there. I tried to warn bathe him and use a cotton bud soaked in the water to try to gently dislodge the skin to no avail. I fed him as due and he took it without hesitation, then a few weeks later he shed again. The skin came off one eye but now there is I assume a double shed layer stuck on his other eye. He seems to be having trouble seeing and I’m unsure what to do. I’m awaiting a call back from the reptile vet but any information would be helpful. I’m quite worried.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Not difficult to remove but as there are likely 2 eye caps now stuck it is quite important that you get this dealt with asap.
There are video's on youtube that can show how to remove them but you should always get the help of someone with experience or a professional on the 1st occasion so you can be guided through the process.

 

[ronhalling]

@lhughes 1 of the best ways i have found over the years to remove stuck shed anywhere on a snakes body is to put them in a damp pillow case for a couple of hours in their enclosure so that their temp does not drop to much, just put a layer of cling wrap or something similar on the bottom of the enclosure to ensure no water damage occurs, in most cases any previously stuck shed should come off in the pillow case otherwise it should be easy enough to remove by hand, if it does not work the 1st time 1 or 2 more attempts might be in order but in my experience the stuck shed usually comes off the 1st time.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) -ronhalling-

 

[lhughes]

Not difficult to remove but as there are likely 2 eye caps now stuck it is quite important that you get this dealt with asap.
There are video's on youtube that can show how to remove them but you should always get the help of someone with experience or a professional on the 1st occasion so you can be guided through the process.

Thank you, I can’t get him into the vet until next week but I found a video that suggested gently spraying water from a spray bottle onto the eye from a back/side angle, it seems like a safe and gentle thing I can do in the meantime and hopefully it helps. I just don’t want him to go blind or get an infection or serious damage.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Without removing the eye caps the long term outlook can potentially be blindness.
Once the eye cap is soft enough it can be removed with the cotton bud but make sure to go in a front to back of the head motion, (the same direction as if the snake were shedding)

You might try putting the snake in a damp pillow case overnight in the hope it will become moist enough for him to remove it himself. (Just realised Ron has already offered that suggestion)