Welder's Flash

[Tantara]

Welders are always advised in OH &S instruction to wear safety glasses.A pair of clear plastic safety glasses WILL STOP transmission of the UV rays to your eyes.


Oz

Help me out. Are you saying that if you just wear safety glasses you won't flash you eyes? That doesn't sound right to me. I always thought the safety glasses were for preventing debris in your eyes.


Brad

 

[blaze_125]

Help me out. Are you saying that if you just wear safety glasses you won't flash you eyes? That doesn't sound right to me. I always thought the safety glasses were for preventing debris in your eyes.


Brad

No. That's not what he said.
He said the glasses will stop the UV rays. You'll still get flashed, but the effects won't be nearly as bad as if you had been flashed without them.

 

[shotgunfatcat]

Help me out. Are you saying that if you just wear safety glasses you won't flash you eyes? That doesn't sound right to me. I always thought the safety glasses were for preventing debris in your eyes.


Brad

No. That's not what he said.
He said the glasses will stop the UV rays. You'll still get flashed, but the effects won't be nearly as bad as if you had been flashed without them.

Exactly, what it will do is keep you from sun (UV) burning your eyes, you will still get the flash effect (bright spots and cloudy vision), but no sandpaper feeling.


You can still hurt your eyes by staring at it.

At least that is what I got out of it....My pealing is done on my face now.

 

[Tantara]

thanks

brad

 

[EVOLVO]

When your eyes heal up I would suggest you get flashed again, heal up, flash again,repeat as required, etc. After you have done this a few dozen times you will have built up a callus on your eyes and won't feel the effects of flash anymore and will be able to weld without a hood, eliminating the need for those pesky batteries in your helmet. Or else you'll be blind, let us know!

 

[shotgunfatcat]

Or maybe a nice tan on the eyeballs.

 

[scooterseats]

Sounds like the old adage, "Real men don't need no stinkin' filter lens"!!!!!

 

[cwstevens92]

If you can even keep your eyes open and esp if you can look at a computer screen for any amount of time....you have a very mild case of flash burn and some drops and rest should do you just fine

 

[Zengineer]

Wear saftey glasses.

Much truth here.

I used to work in a production welding facility. We had "safe zones" where people in the facilities did not have to wear safety gear such as boots, glasses etc. They were far enough away from the action for it not to be an issue, and normally these were for plant tours and the like.

However, we tended to have design revision meetings in the safe zones, and I could tell that the flash was having an effect. I took to wearing clear safety glasses regardless of where I was on the floor. (blocks about 98% of UV)

One day there was a very lengthy meeting in those spots. The next day, 2 of the guys I was meeting with had flash issues (long term exposure over the previous day, not just a single flash up close) and I was 100% fine. We were probably in that area for about 2 hours straight.

A 110v machine isn't too intense, but even then I wear safety glasses under my welding mask, and anytime I am welding, even if it's a quick tack with my eyes closed.

 

[e-tek]

I would check and make sure the clear lenses you are using have a UV rating before trusting them 100%....

 

[beee85]

Be a man, take beer

funny!, also tea-bags work great.

 

[E.rodz]

been there done that. got it bad the first time I was 15 years old and borrowed a buzz box welder and welded with sunglasses woke up at 3 in the morning screaming with pain,first thing the doc.said after shining the flashlight in my eyes witch really felt awsome asked me if I was staring at the sun. I looked at him and said do you think I am stupid? the numbing drops were the only thing that worked for me.pain killers and beer worked to. lol.

 

[onewaydave]

Had it once at 17, never again. Treat it all the time. Even experienced welders occasionally. What I see happening is the flip ups to get your orientation, change stick or whatever and then into position to start the weld and flipping the helmut down and starting the weld. Only sometimes you start the weld just a micro second before the helmut goes down. It only takes a couple of times to do the damage.

Stop getting Welder's flash. It adds up and does permenant damage.

Dont punish yourself, go to the ER and get treated.

Dave.