Welding-burnt eyes

[baymule]

I was just reading a thread in Tools started by Joel_BC and it brought back memories of when I was younger, working hard in welding and machine shops. I built oil field pumping units and other various oil filed equipment. I used 40 ton over head cranes to move beams and base units to my work station. I ran an eight foot radial drill press, press brake, iron worker, shears, turrent lathes, saws, trepanner and others. I operated a fork lift, loaded and unloaded trucks. It was early 1980's and women weren't always welcome in traditional "man" jobs. I even had men get in my face and try to run me off lol.

Anyway, I worked in close proximity with welders and trying not to look at the arc was sometimes difficult. The old timers always told me if I got my eyes burnt to use grated potato and squeeze the juice into my eyes for pain relief. I just smiled in the way of an upstart know it all youngster. Then came that night when I awoke with my eyes on fire with a bucket of sand thrown in my eyes. Yep, welding burn. I was in pain. I didn't know anything could burn so bad. I couldn't even see to drive myself to the hospital and was too broke to pay the hospital bill anyway. Fortunately, I had a sack of potatoes and I lost no time peeling one. I grated it into a bowl and squeezed the juice into my eyes. I got relief. Not all the pain went away, but I could at least go back to sleep. I woke up several more times that night and each time flooded my eyes with potato juice. When it was time to go to work the next morning, the pain was almost all gone. Never did go to the doctor for that, and have never forgot about potato juice.

 

[Denim Deb]

That's a good thing to know.

 

[peteyfoozer]

We use potato slices or cucumber slices....I like cucumber best!

 

[Joel_BC]

It's good to know about potato juice and its benefit.

But maybe I should mention that nowadays, that injury can be readily avoided. The current welding masks are generally equipped with an automatically darkening light filter. Hence, you can see through them normally if that strong arc light isn't present (and therefore do tasks other than the arc welding itself), but they darken instantaneously when the arc is first struck. So even if you are handling a task in that work environment, where you are not the welder, you can be prepared for when an arc is struck by someone near you and not get the effect you've described on your eyes.

 

[the_whingnut]

well here it is from a welder.

the Potatoes over the eye (any form of potatoes) does work but it only holds moisture to help your eyes heal and to keep the crusty build-up on you eye lids soft.

you can use a damp cloth, cucumbers or a cold pack to do the same. i like to use frozen m&m's when they are thawed out snack time.

DO NOT USE EYE DROPS FOR CLEAR EYES!

the auto darkening lens will do what they say they will but you get what you pay for with those. you want one that has more than 2 sensors and a battery. i'm not inclined to use them because they do not darken faster than the speed of light and if you use them all day doing tons of small welds you still get eye fatigue, because they only work so fast, but in this i'm talking about some 8 to 10 hours of constant 2-4" welds. for around the house and a few tacks, or minor welding the auto lens is ok and it should be fine for being a fire watch or someone operating in the area of a welder.

all of this is my opinion on the auto helmet some ppl swear by them, i always swear at them when the sensors get dirty from welding fumes and i get flashed.

but i have digressed.

any kind of moisture retaining eye pack will help retina burns (flash burn) but the best thing to do is not have it by using all your safety gear shade 10 or darker for plasma cutting or welding. you can us as low as 9 if its a gold plated lens. but i recommend 11-14 for GTAW (tig) really close 3-4" from face or outside on bright days. 10-11 for SMAW (stick) always spend the money on a good lens. gold plated or standard.


i usually keep spare helmets on hand so people working in the shop or in my area can grab it and be safe. another thing you can do is ask the welder to warn you when they start burning. we have a practice i enforce with lead pipe efficiency on the job, you will call out "watch your eyes!" or "eyes!" before striking an arc in the open shop or the weld booths. its Safety and Courteousness all in one.

 

[Joel_BC]

well here it is from a welder.

Hey! That's what I like.

I've even had mild eye fatigue, lasting a few days (no pain), from an oxy-acetylene with a larger tip. That's why I recently replaced my dark gas-welder's saftey glasses.

 

[John_henry]

Great tip. Thanks