[sprecher48]

Just a little warning,if you're wearing contacts and get flashed,go to the e- room asap.you can remove your retinas along with the contacts. tom

[oldred]

Originally Posted by sprecher48

Just a little warning,if you're wearing contacts and get flashed,go to the e- room asap.you can remove your retinas along with the contacts. tom

Sorry but that one is just an urban legend, the story is usually about welders but sometimes it is about an electrician that got flashed from an arc in an electrical box while wearing contacts. Either way that one has been debunked many times over the years and it seems that someone always brought it up at safety meetings, the fact is it simply is not true. The idea was that the lens acted like magnifying glasses and focused the light from the arc onto the retina causing the burn, just as you can do with a magnifying glass and sunlight. The problem is the contact lens is much too small to do such a thing and they are not magnifiers anyway. This story became so widespread that IMSHA actually did some testing even though simple engineering shows that such an event will not happen so if you wear contacts there is nothing to be concerned about, at least not an increaseed chance of eye burn.

[Irelands child]

I used to wear them, did a lot of welding for my company, never a problem - and yes, got flashed and still have my retinas and still have corrected 40/20 vision ( see stuff at 40 feet that I should see at 20). Unfortunately age has conspired in that my near vision requires vari focal/bifocals, dammit

Dave W

[bentwings]

Thanks Oldred you beat me to it. Nice info.
I don't wear contacts as there is too much dust and smoke around. I much prefer several set of prescription safety glass magnifiers. It's easier to simply change glasses than helmet magnifiers. I have 3 magnifications handy. Really need the high power ones to see very small welds as the light is very minimal from the arc.

I saw a neat idea a week or so ago. A guy clamped a small LED light to his torch to light the way as he welded. I tried a small flashlight on my TIG and it works but it needs to be really small. It works perfectly on MIG.

[oldred]

Originally Posted by bentwings

I saw a neat idea a week or so ago. A guy clamped a small LED light to his torch to light the way as he welded.

That's a great idea!

Lowes has some super bright LED flashlights that are quite small, I will pick up a couple tomorrow and rig one up on my MIG. I usually use a 500 watt Quartz work light mounted above the weld when I use my auto dark helmet but mostly it's a PITA so I most times just use the old conventional lens helmet I keep around for use with small MIG wire. Without illuminating the weld area somehow I just can't see a darn thing with the auto dark when using small wire.

[bentwings]

I too keep a fixed shade helmet for any really small TIG welds and for really big MIG welds. The auto dark just get too dark in both cases.

[oldred]

Originally Posted by bentwings

The auto dark just get too dark in both cases.

Yes they do, because of the nature of the way the things work they tend to "dark" out the arc itself no matter how light the setting. Since this thread is about eyes I would like to point out that because of this minor problem with auto dark helmets I have found that when doing a lot of welding with small wire (such as installing a large weld-in panel?) the conventional lens works a lot better for me. With the auto dark I wind up with watery eyes and sometimes an itching or burning but this is from eye strain, I am sure it does not do everyone that way but I think this is often mistaken for a mild eye burn.

[SuthnCustoms]

I've never had a problem seeing any weld puddle with a GOOD quaility auto lens,thats the major problem with cheap auto lens,not much clarity at all through the lens in the dark state.
My Speedglas 100v and Jackson NexGen lens is about the clearest i've ever seen,the Nexgen has a low amp TIG setting too,and have used it welding under 10 amps on a TIG rig welding together 1/8" stainless fence wire for a safety gaurd on a motor and the clarity was beautiful.

Bottom line about the eyes and flash burn,as i stated Wayyyyyy back in this thread...safety glasses that are ANSI Z87.1 approved,and both the clear protective lens and the filter lens in the welding hood?,,you will NEVER get a flash,and always wear the safety glasses 100% of the time,even behind the hood and before and after,it only takes a spit second for a peice of hot slag to pop off a weld to hit the eye,it's too late to then say"oops",the damage is already done.
There is still so called safety glasses out there that are cheap,they might be impact resistant to a point..but are not ANSI Z87.1 approved,this means they have a polycarbonate impreganted in it,which means a clear set will block 99.9% of harmful UV and IR rays and the dark lens is 100% ,plus is high impact resistant,...that's another lil thing they get you on the cheap glasses,they will say "impact resistant",,but you want the "HIGH impact resistant",they will fold up,bend,melt etc before they would ever break.

Just dont go cheap when protecting those eyes and ears,you only get one pair of each,and only takes a split second to lose them..and..99% of the time when someone gets hurt is not when you are expecting it,it comes from being complacant with you're work and least expecting it,always have safety up front and foremost 100% of the time

[fst64_v8pwr]

ouch!!!!!!!

[oldred]

Originally Posted by fst64_v8pwr

ouch!!!!!!!

??????

[Miley Tipton]

HI,

Originally Posted by Holder350

Is there anything to do for burned eyes from welding? I'm in so much pain right now!!!

I am new here, and want to learn new things and technology related to automobiles and garage tools.
yes they are definitely connected to each other. My father told me once, some kind of Uv rays come out of that welding fire, which cause irritation in eyes. So may be this is the reason for your burning eyes. If Someone else know a better answer, please update my knowledge.

Thanks and regards

[SuthnCustoms]

Originally Posted by Miley Tipton

HI,



I am new here, and want to learn new things and technology related to automobiles and garage tools.
yes they are definitely connected to each other. My father told me once, some kind of Uv rays come out of that welding fire, which cause irritation in eyes. So may be this is the reason for your burning eyes. If Someone else know a better answer, please update my knowledge.

Thanks and regards

All you're answers are in this thread,just read through this whole thread and you'll find all the answers..and it's called WELD FLASH..the UV rays burn you're eyes like the sun gives you sunburn on the skin.

[Miley Tipton]

Thanks a lot, for replying me, I will definitely go through all these threads. Well Weld Flash is a new term for me. Thanks for updating my knowledge.


I have a one more query related to this, When ever I make joint through welding, it doesn't stay for long time. Can you please tell me, what are the possible things to improve my joint strength ?

[water wizard]

When I where a shield I hate that the shields are so dark I can not see anything intil stick hits (when under car "trying" to weld exhaust). First time I had a shield but kept switchin on and off got lucky no burn, 2nd time I welded for about 3 hours with no eye protection. Was fine till morning, eyes where bright red,sandy feeling, and watering so bad every one thought I was crying my eyes out. First I will tell you what not to do; do not splash water in your face or touch any where around your eyes. I saw a nurse and they told me to go E.R. right away but I had an appt. with my phsychologist(further referred to syche) first. ( I do not believe in new age healing so I can't explain how this worked but it did.) My syche had me do some type of meditation for 20 min. When we where done all my symptoms of welders flash where gone, I can not explain it.
Water Wizard

[Holder350]

I know its been years sense I posted this.

But, that was the first time I had ever burned my eyes.....sense I have burned my eyes 3 more times. Looks like I would have learned.

Turns out tho...I learned that if you have a cheap autodark that quits working, it will still block the UV light that burns your eyes.

Been quite a while sense I posted on these boards (I have become a jeep head and have been hanging around those forums)

I really miss it here tho, and I often come and search the site to find those gems of knowledge that I need.

And also R.I.P. Doc.....