Can a uvb light burn my bearded dragons eyes?

Question

I bought a coil uvb light for my beardie the other day and since that day he hasn't been moving alot and his eyes are closed most of the time, he has only opened them twice and he lets the crickets that i put in there for him crawl on him so we took the light off an put in a red heat light and he doesn't move fom where he is unless we move him or blow air on him. I think the light burned his eyes and today I got a water droper and droped some water on his eye lids. I thought he wouldn't open his eyes because of the light so i took the light off his cage and put a dark blanket over it, i keep checking on him to see if he moved and i also check the temp to make sure it's warm enough for him. He is starting to act like a beardie I had before that died. He has his water and a basking log and also a hide but he won't open his eyes for nothing he is about 4 mounths old.

Answer 1

The light didn't burn his eyes...  Him closing his eyes and not moving while under the light is just him basking.

Answer 2

Coil lights are crummy UVB lights.  Also stay away from the repti-glo 10, they've been having issues with the phosphors they use to coat the lights and the lights have been giving beardies health problems.  Use a repti-sun 10 instead, and get the strip light not the coil light, they work a lot better.

Answer 3

I would get rid of the compact light and go with an "old fashioned" incandescent bulb. When it comes to reptiles and those new bulbs I haven't heard anything good, and I have read that they can hurt the reptile's eyes.

Answer 4

UV lighting can cause eye damage, that's why it is recommended to only keep a UV light on for about 5 hours a day.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapypho...

I'm not sure that is the case here. Unless you kept the light on 24 hours a day, I doubt this condition could develope in only 4 days.