Chameleons’ Eye‑Cleaning Ritual

Chameleons sometimes perform a peculiar ritual that can appear alarming: their eyes bulge, rotate, and move in ways that seem unnatural. Many keepers mistake this for illness and rush to veterinarians, but it is in fact a normal, self‑cleaning behavior. Known as eye cleaning, the process is triggered by mechanical irritation, infection, or debris such as shed skin lodged within the complex eye structure. To relieve the discomfort, the chameleon rotates and presses its eyeball against the eyelids, effectively flushing and clearing the irritation. This remarkable adaptation ensures their vision remains sharp and unobstructed in challenging environments.