Worried about Arc eye

[TonyWilk]

... I have been told that ordinary glasses will help prevent arc-eye because some of the rays get reflected. Don't know if thats technically correct, but experience seems to confirm it.
Steve

I got a flash the other day - big surprise 'til I realised it was the grinding goggles I had on .

Was a bit worried for a while, but no ill effects at all - I guess the plastic goggles plus my specs must filter out some of the harmful UV.

I'm not planning on doing it again tho' !

Yours,
Tony Wilk

 

[shenion]

Ordinary glasses will help prevent arc eye only if they have a UV coating.

 

[Stuggi]

Hit me just that mine have some coating to reduce glare (?) from overhead lighting, making it easier to read and such, so how knows, maybe they filter out UV as well...

 

[FireStorm]

i got arc eye last night, was my own fault did abit of welding and was abit to close to the weld, it's hurting today though!!!! got burn round my cheeks and my right eye is hurting alot, couldn't even look at a light this morning!!!! feeling abit better now but still not brillant.

sleept with a flanel? spelling over my eyes last night to try and cool it down!!!!

still hurts now but it's getting better.

last time i never use a helmet again...

 

[Dangle_kt]

I aint had arc eye yet (i say yet cos I'm sure I will!), but on the introduction to arc welding dvd I got from the US there is an interesting bit on arc eye.

This yank recommends finely grated potato. Grate it fine, make a patty with it and place it about 1 inch thick over each eye. He said you should do this even if you THINK you MAY have had a flash for about 20 mins as soon as you can. and this guy looks like he knows his stuff.

Its soemthing to do with drawing the heat out of the eye.

We all must have some spuds in the kitchen, so sounds like an easy thing to do to reduce the pain.

 

[Stuggi]

Well, the drawing out heat thing is total ********, but who knows, it might work...

 

[TonyWilk]

Well, the drawing out heat thing is total ********, but who knows, it might work...

Yeh, but if you're reeling in pain, I guess mashing up a load of spuds should take your mind off it a bit

Yours,
Tony Wilk

 

[Stuggi]

Sure thing, I just questioned the explanation, not the method

 

[Dangle_kt]

I'm only quoting what I watched.

 

[weldequip]

Personally I'd get myself off to A&E. There's really no excuse for getting arc-eye nowadays with a decent auto-darkening mask. Unbelievable the amount of 'professionals' I still get calling in for standard filter lenses though
weldequip

 

[BRIAN SAUNDERS]

Hey, i'm currently doing a small course on welding for a motorsport college and have been quite succesful at it so far but yesterday my tutor caught me out and my helmet got stuck so my eyes where in contact with the light for about a second a few hours later i got the feeling that there was stuff in my eyes i was told by my tutor this would be the first signs i am now quite worried about it any way to say what the chances are of having it or not would be really helpful right now thanks

Arc eye will not effect you immediately you take a flash, from the arc.

Some time later you will develop a headache and then a feeling of sand in you eyes. This often occurs after you have gone to bed.

Do not panic, use a towel soaked in cold water, or an ice pack.

If you find the pain too much, contact your mobile doctor. Do not waste A & E's time, as the effects will pass after about 24 hours. However you might need dark glasses the following day.

Get you self an auto darkening helmet!

 

[^neo^]

This thread is certainly an interesting read.....

You're highly unlikely to get arc eye from just a flash (or even a couple of flashes). It's more likely to happen after alot of welding, continuously getting flases, like the UV light bouncing off the walls / light clothing and coming in behind the mask.

The time you notice it is usually when it gets dark. The eyes get used to the dark surroundings and start to feel dry. When you get this, make yourself a cuppa and keep the teabags! Take the teabags to bed with you, and when you wake up after a couple of hours sleep thinking someone has slipped a hedgehog under your eyelids, get the teabags out!
Will pass after about 20 minutes or so of streamings eyes.
Its the tanin in the tea which soothes the burning / swelling.

After a couple of years welding everyday, your eyes seem to get used to it.

 

[hot rocks]

neos right you usually cop arc eye from the person whos welding near you without a curtain infront and it does take more than a flash to give you a bad case . Avoid welding in rooms with white walls and allwaysn check the mask youve been given is working properly ......does coffee work ?? i dont like to waste tea!

 

[storm monkey]

Tanin you say? Sounds like an excuse for a good single malt! Wouldn't pour it in the eyes though!

Phil

 

[intransit_89]

hello i got arc today
i was welding since 2pm yesterday till 7pm
and the arc didnt kick in till about 11pm

anyway sooner i got it as i was on msn talking to my mate he said you typeing crap thats how bad it was any way i went to bed at 12am with my windows open and turn the tv of etc

and about 4am had a little blind walk trying to find dave funny as you have to open one eye with your fingers to find him any way come back in at 430am and had a wet towel that helped a bit but when i got up at 12-1 ish today i throught it had gone fair play its stll there just not as pain full got my ceiln fan on to make some wind seems to help

any way i was welding this

next time will were some plastic googles under my mask

but not doing any more today as i want my eye sight back for monday to look at some models iam buying
might ask dave when he comes in if i can brow his sun glassers

 

[malcolm]

That sounds nasty Intransit. What do you think was the reason for your arc eye?

Normally it's an inappropriate helmet, or welding for a long time in a room painted in white and getting arc eye from the reflections into the back of the helmet.

Having done auto work myself I'm guessing there's a helmet fault? You can't weld all day on auto stuff - too much making panels and setting up to do.

 

[intransit_89]

maybe to do with the mask having to see where i was welding before puting the mask down but once you get the welder to weld you can use the helmet all day long easy its geting it start 1st lol

its geting better now just feels like some one in the kitchen burned some food lol like onions does to yuor eyes

 

[Paul.]

Are you sure its arc eye?. there doesn't seem to be much PPE around in your photos, could be crap in your eye, don't take chances, your on your last set of eyes, get it checked out.
Paul

 

[malcolm]

Well worth being careful. Here's a photo of me from a couple of years ago. Not looking happy. Lost 2 months off work in total.

 

[Paul.]

Yea, bin there, done that, etc!
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