Popeye disease in fish refers to a condition in which their eyes swell, bulge outward and appear cloudy, often leaving the eye socket unsettled and even becoming clouded over. Left untreated, popeye can lead to blindness in one or both eyes of affected fish1. Fish popeye may have various potential causes including infection, injury or poor water conditions – it usually responds well to treatment but this depends on its source.
Popeye Disease Exophthalmia (fish popeye), also referred to as exophthalmia, occurs when one or both eyes of a fish become abnormally swollen and protruding from its socket. While certain aquarium fish species, such as black moor goldfish and telescope-eye goldfish typically exhibit this trait naturally, this does not indicate exophthalmia affecting either eye. Furthermore, Fish popeye may affect one eye only or both simultaneously and sometimes become cloudy as well.1 The fish popeye may even appear cloudy!1
Symptoms of Popeye Disease
Popeye disease in aquarium fishes is identified by one or both eyes bulging from its socket. This may be subtle at first, or become quite obvious later as their eye becomes visibly swollen and bulges from its socket. Depending on its cause and severity, other signs of illness may also emerge in an aquarium fish’s appearance.
Popeye begins as a subtle bulging in either eye, caused by pressure leaking behind the eyeball and leading to pressure buildup in its surrounding region. Over time, however, this condition becomes increasingly noticeable until eventually it ruptures the cornea completely and results in cloudy or bloodshot eyes with discolored or cloudy corneas; or in more serious instances can even rupture completely and result in blindness in one or both eyes of affected fish species; they will still eventually recover but without that eye being fully functional again.