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Burned Eyes

55K views 154 replies 60 participants last post by  oldred 
#1 ·
Is there anything to do for burned eyes from welding? I'm in so much pain right now!!!
 
#3 ·
burned eyes

The most available remedy is to use the liquid out of a freshly peeled potato. You can also cut some thin slices from the potato and lay them on your eyelids with your eyelids closed. If this doesn't relieve the pain so you can make it thru the night, you may need to see a doctor. I have never found any over the counter drops that help much.
 
#5 ·
Sliced taters work. Draws out the symptoms of the arc flash. It's amazing. I've had to do this many times over the years.

But as 41'srfun said if that does'nt work you probably have a bad case of flash and you'll need to seek medical attention.

Don't take a chance on your eyes dude. :nono:
 
#6 ·
Don't use potatos. :nono: Use clean ice packs, Visene, murine, eyewash from the first aid kit...don't put vegetable juice into a damaged eye. Potatoes grow in the dirt.

Read through this thread.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/welders-tan-111316.html?highlight=potato\

If you have an emergency room you can go to have them put some ophthalmic tetracaine..That will get the sand out.
Other than that there ain't much you can do... :pain:

Later, mikey
 
#7 ·
I know arc flash :drunk: We were welding a pan up on a Volkswagen one evening. I would turn my back everytime my buddy fired up the welder so I would not look at it. I have heard of arc flash but never experienced it until then. The walls were white in the room that we were in and 5 hours of welding did me in. The reflection off of the walls was enough to give me a severe case of arc flash. It is basically sunburnt eyes. My 91 year old father told me to put potatoes (peeled and sliced over my eyes.
) Your eyelids will basically absorb the iodine from the potato to help heal it. I have also heard of whole milk to help but really don't know about that. I was off work for three days as I could not see. Lesson well learned. Always wear a helmet whether or not you look directly at the flash or not. It felt just like sand in both eyes that had been ground in.
 
#8 ·
DON'T USE POTATOES!!!!! :nono: :nono: You can cause an infection that can leave you BLIND! This was discussed a while back and I know this old remedy has been around forever but in spite of what some will insist it DOES NOT WORK and don't let anyone tell you it does! It seems to work because the potatoes cool your eyes and relieve the pain but ice works better, but better still see a doctor. Fellows this is your eyes you are talking about and this is nothing to take a chance on with some nonsense like potatoes and if some want to do this and insist it is ok then let them do it but they have been warned, don't believe me? Ask your doctor! Infection is the biggest danger and the burn will usually heal ok with little to no lasting damage, that is unless you cause an infection with something non-sterile like potatoes :rolleyes:
 
#10 ·
I'll add to this - use nothing but a sterile solution. If it's so bad you have vision problems, then you need to see a doctor pronto. If you vision is ok but your eyes are sore you need to spend the next few days in a darkened room with ice or cold water packs. But, the best advice is to see a doctor. Whatever you end up doing, you will not be a happy person for a while - sorry, but that's the way it is with a flash burn :pain:

This is a painful lesson that many of us have learned - and unfortunately, some of the idiots doing car TV shows don't spend enough time on welding safety if at all and people just think that it's ok for them to copy welding without a shield - NOT. This is the sun many times over.

Dave
 
#12 ·
Irelands child said:
. This is the sun many times over.Dave
I have never thought of it like that but that is an excellent way to describe it.

This is a very bad sunburn and is the same as snow blindness caused by glare from the sun on snow only much worse. As pointed out infection is the big danger and I think most people know how easily a burn can get infected so it amazes me that some would even think of putting potatoes or anything like that on a burn. One of the guys who worked for me (I have seen this happen twice) when I ran my shop got an infection from a flash burn (however he had not used potatoes) and he had a heck of a time with this. You should have seen this guy, his face was swollen and both eyes were swollen shut even though the infection had started in only one eye. He recovered ok but not surprisingly his doctor told him he could have lost one or both eyes. The other guy got off easier but he too was scolded soundly by his doctor for letting it get to that point. In the vast majority of the cases it is nothing more than just a case of severe discomfort that will go away in a couple of days but if you decide not to see a doctor right away then watch (pardon the pun :) ) for signs of infection such as redness and swelling of the eye lids and surrounding skin, if this happens get to a doctor RIGHT NOW! as even a few hours can make a lot of difference since an infection here will progress rapidly.
 
#14 ·
This is a good guide for welding lens number for each type of welding from the Department of labor. Keep in mind this applies to even reflective rays for helpers or spectators. And regardless of what you see on TV the cool looking sunglasses are not good for welding there may be some sold with the proper rating but beyond eye burn you can get a serious skin burn from TIG very serious as well as MIG and Stick :nono:
http://www.labtrain.noaa.gov/osha600/refer/menu11a.pdf
 
#15 ·
You´re all a bunch of wimps :evil:



Seriously though, I´ve been there, I was caught out in a "joke".
Passing a welding booth an apprentice pulled back the cutain called me and his mate struck an arc.
I saw white surrounded by blue for days and the urge to rub my eyes, unbearable.
 
#16 ·
malc said:
You�re all a bunch of wimps :evil:
Seriously though, I�ve been there, I was caught out in a "joke".
Passing a welding booth an apprentice pulled back the cutain called me and his mate struck an arc.
I saw white surrounded by blue for days and the urge to rub my eyes, unbearable.
You only had a small taste of weld burn on the eyes from only one strike of the arc multiply that by about 1000 and that is what it feels like to use the wrong lenses or even worse none for any period of time it is quite painful :pain: and nothing gives much releif. Try arc welding with gas welding goggles for a couple of hours on second thought Please don't take our word for it :pain:
 
#18 ·
burned eyes

Gee, I've never heard of anyone getting their eyes infected from using potatoes after burning them. I don't doubt that it could happen, and it would probably have a lot to do with the severity of the burn. Now I'm going to have doubts about eating anything that was grown in the ground including carrotts! Just kidding.
The smartest thing to do is always see a doctor, but sometimes late at night there isn't much choice and that is the reason a lot of people choose to try this. I never thought of it causing anyone any harm. But then I'm not a doctor either.
 
#19 ·
Potatoes can make a painful problem a serious problem and there simply is no reason to use them, honestly it don't work. Ice will cool the burn and relieve the pain better than potatoes and if you decide not to see a doctor then use the ice as it will bring some relief, obviously you will not get an infection in the burned eyes every time with potatoes but once is all it takes! The usual story is that "I heard about it from an old time welder who has done it for years" but whenever someone told me that, and I have heard it a bunch of times, I always ask "If you do get an infection will you go to that old welder for help or would you go to the doctor who would warn you not to do this?
 
#20 ·
malc said:
You�re all a bunch of wimps :evil:

Seriously though, I�ve been there, I was caught out in a "joke".
Passing a welding booth an apprentice pulled back the cutain called me and his mate struck an arc.
I saw white surrounded by blue for days and the urge to rub my eyes, unbearable.
just consider the hot leg a joke the next time you see a spark fall and ignite their pants cuff :evil:
Shane
 
#21 · (Edited)
All great advice guys....Been sleeping all yesterday.....god they still hurt, but at least now I can keep them open....

the way that I did it - I was welding some thin (16 gauge) sheet metal, with a DC arc. I couldn't see anything Thu the helmet. I tryed and ended up 1/2 of my seam, So ******* me took it off and welded it up real quick.

I'v took hydros and sleep with a damp washcloth on my eyes. Around my eyes are still sore and red where they have been burnt. Everything is still blurry, I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow but I may end up going to the optometrist.


Best way I can tell you to help them is let you wife pamper you all day ;)
 
#22 ·
All great advice guys....Been sleeping all yesterday.....god they still hurt, but at least now I can keep them open....
My problem was just the opposite. I could not shut my eyes. It was pure grit everytime I did. So I kept a cold compress on my eyes while trying to sleep in a chair. I never had anything make my eyes water so bad and still hurt. Then it seems that when something is the matter with your eyes like that, then your sinuses get stopped up :rolleyes: Now that I really think back, that may have been the turning point also for getting glasses. It wasn't too long after that, that I had to get glasses to read because everything was blurry. Age combined with that too. Take care of them people!!!!

Kevin
 
#23 ·
Holder, The good news is that it sounds as if the worst is over unless you get that infection we have been talking about, not likely but possible so keep on the alert for it. You did the right thing and a doctor, while always the best idea, may not always be necessary just take care for another day or so, avoid bright lights, DON'T weld for at least another day and don't give in to the urge to rub those eyes and this will go away rather quickly from this point. :)
 
#24 ·
Holder350 said:
I couldn't see anything Thu the helmet. I tryed and ended up 1/2 of my seam, So ******* me took it off and welded it up real quick.
Go to an ophthalmologist today!! Do not wait any longer! You very well may have caused some permanent eye damage welding that way!
 
#25 ·
Frisco said:
Go to an ophthalmologist today!! Do not wait any longer! You very well may have caused some permanent eye damage welding that way!
Frisco said it right - NOT an optometrist :nono: - they are not medical doctors only an opthamologist is a fully medically trained doctor. It sounds like the worst is past, but a trip to see the doc is still a good idea to see if there is permanent damage if it was so bad that you had to cold compress the eyes and they are still sore

Amazing - how at age 19 and indestructible seem to go hand in hand!! :drool: I can't even remember that many years back but can remember my kids at 19 :sweat: :D

Dave
 
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