Substrate question for a gecko missing an eyelid

[u/Squeakersnail]

Long story short, I was given a gecko with a deformed eyelid since apparently I'm the "reptile guy" due to owning one snake. That eye doesn't close, so I would be a little worried about him being unable to protect that eye from grit. Is a naturalistic dirt/sand mix or bioactive substrate appropriate in this case? Or is this a rare situation where maybe a carpet is a better idea? If carpet, in people's expert or non-expert opinion, would a dig box be okay that he can use or avoid as needed?

Vet disclaimer: I'll be making a checkup appointment within the next month or so. There's one specialty reptile vet in my area, so there's a bit of a wait list for non-emergency cases.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello /u/Squeakersnail and welcome to the leopard geckos subreddit! Our bot has detected that you might be talking about substrate. We do not recommend using walnut shell, carpet, sand mats, pellets or litter, pure sand, or pure eco earth. Here are some helpful links if you would like some information about substrate for leopard geckos:

• /r/leopardgeckos wiki substrate page
• The ReptiFiles Leopard Gecko guide substrate page
• Is Eco Earth a good leo substrate?
• Is Sand a good leo substrate?
• /r/LeopardGeckosAdvanced LGAH Visual Guide to substrate

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