Attn: Welders...What takes away flash burn

Yep, dark room and sunglasses if you have to go into the light...

 

Arc weld keratitis usually takes 24 to 72 hours toget better.
The flash from welding can cause your cornea in your eye to become inflamed (swollen).
Symptoms:

• Your eye (s) are bothered by light
• Pain in your eye (s)
• Watery eye(s) (teary)

Treatment:
Arc weld keratitis will take 24 to 72 hours to get better.

• Lie down and rest with both eyes closed.
• Do not read or watch TV. You could listen to the radio or music instead.
• Do not drive unless you can see like you usually can.
• Try to stay out of bright lights. You could wear dark lens glasses.
• To help with the pain, you could use lubricating drops like Isoptotears. Ask the pharmacist if unsure.
• For pain, you could take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). You should follow the directions on the container or ask the pharmacist. Do not take ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory medications if you are taking ticlid or coumadin, have a history of a hiatus hernia, stomach ulcers, or you are allergic to aspirin.\

 

It won't help while you have it and probably won't do any good later but after the effects wear off try looking in the mirror, make eye contact with yourself and repeat over and over, YOUR STUPID, YOUR STUPID, YOUR STUPID. Meaning, your the cause and only by changing your ways will prevent it from happening again. Sure there are different circumstances that result in the burn but EVERY one of them can be prevented and it's up to you do the prevention. When I was young and STUPID I got flash burn on a regular basis. Haven't had it in years. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Frank

 

More hours welding than I care to remember as a structural steel fabricator. I cringe whenever I see those TeeVee shows with the guys tacking and welding with no hood. Closing your eyelids doesn't stop the rays from burning the cornias. No Gloves and short sleeves, too. Ever heard of skin cancer? It's not a joke. Another injury is burned ear drums from sparks and spatter getting in there. "It's all fun and games 'til someone loses an eye!" I've even got burns on my feet from spatter going down my boots. While I was on a 14' ladder! Ow, I'm gonna go take a nap now.

 

A cold wet rag helps, but time with your eyes shut is the only cure. I wouldnt do that too many more times. Get a real good helment, its the only real fix.

 

I second the motion!

 

if its bad enough just go to the hospital and they can put drops in that make your eyes go numb, i have done this to the point where i had patchs on both eyes for 3 days, i was only 12 at the time and i'm 49 now, i still have damage to my retinas, will be there for life. i dont notice but whenever i get my eyes checks the doc asks me what happened to my eyes.

 

guilty as well. i thought closing my eyes and doing a few tacks would be ok. didnt think i would give myself a massive sunburn on the back of my eyelids and forehead.learned a valuable lesson on that one.only took a week for my face to stop peeling.lot of info on web md about welders flash.

 

Best is when your clothes catch fire, but you still have to finish the weld.....or else.

 

YES CUT OPEN A POTATOE AND RUB ON EYELIDS!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know why this works on the eyeballs inside but then they burned from under closed lids and sunglasses the one time I found myself in too tight quarters for the helmet too!

Thanx DAD for saving me from the agony of burnt eyeballs! I SWEAR it works!

 

Last time I had it I went to the docs and he checked it out. He gave me some drops that immediately took the pain away. I saved them and had to use them one or two more times. It was a life saver.

 

HAHA yessir, you can feel the heat creeping up but you know if you stop the restart might be the fall of the test! i know that all to well!

i have had my eyes burnt before, i used the ol potato trick and a dark room, took 2 days but they didnt have any perm damage as far as i can tell. good luck.

 

Flash Burn is nothing to joke about and can be quite serious. I was blind for about 3 days from it years ago. What happens is you actually burn the cornea and everytime it happens you weaken the eye in terms of both sensitivity to light and actual sight. When it happens hospitals recommend that you wash your hands throughly and then flush your eyes for any contaminants. Stay out of the light and put sunglasses on. Do not use potatoes, limes or any other home remedy's. Topical antibiotic eye drops or ointments made specifically for the eye may be recommended to prevent infection in the damaged cornea. Topic anesthetic drops for the eye should never be used because they can slow the healing of the cornea. DO NOT put pressure on the eyes, this can cause further damage. Sometimes it can take up to 8 hours or more for all symptoms to occur. Motrin Tylenol etc. can be used to reduce the pain.

Because the eyes are very sensitive to disease and damage, any blurred vision, change in vision, or worsening eye pain needs to be evaluated by an eye doctor or emergency room.This is not to be taken lightly. I have to wear sunglasses all the time since it happened to me and my eyesight is deteriorating from it.

 

Every time you blink you are irritating the problem. Put something moist over your eyes. And lay down in a dark room. Keep your eyes closed. I had my wife tape my eyes closed.

 

I've also heard of milk as a remedy if you eat too spicy of food.

Seriously, get a good helmet or go see the doc for the quickest relief.

 

If you are welding in a confined area you likely got burn from the light reflecting of some thing behind you and then of the inside of you helmet.A small amount of light over a long period of time is just as bad as a direct blast.

 

this is what i have and never goes away

INTENSE VISIBLE LIGHT

Exposure of the human eye to intense visible light can produce adaptation, pupillary reflex, and shading of the eyes. Such actions are protective mechanisms to prevent excessive light from being focused on the retina. In the arc welding process, eye exposure to intense visible light is prevented for the most part by the welder's helmet. However, some individuals have sustained retinal damage due to careless "viewing" of the arc. At no time should the arc be observed without eye protection.

 

use lubricated eye drops, and rosewater feel better!

 

used to use some thing called welders eye ease contained boric acid and little bit of something else was sold at welding supply house

 

I had a doctor tell a friend to use warm milk drops in the eyes, and buy a damn hood.

 

for those who hadnt read the whole thread, he was wearing a hood, welding in a confined space and when he went to re-position it would sometimes arc. which means his hood wasnt down for the accidental arc strikes.

 

Tannic Acid is supposed to work for eyes,
the easiest way is warm Tea Bags on you eyes.

Aloe Vera works on skin, like any other sunburn.

Good welding supply places sell eye drops, good stuff.

 

Yes, good stuff.
Of course, I can't find mine right now.

A search for Welders Eye Drops found these:
http://www.first-aid-product.com/industrial/eye-wash-products-eye-drops.htm

http://www.airgas.com/browse/product.aspx?Msg=RecID&recIds=400340

 

I fried my eyes one time, and went to the Rite Aid to get something.
After the pharmacist yelled at me for a few minutes, he recommended a product called Natural Tears.
It helped alot. But take something tonight to knock your ass out. Benadryl has the same stuff as sleeping pills.
The sand in the eyes feeling won't go away as you try to sleep. I think it was better to cover my eyes with something dark, and stare into the darkness, until I fell asleep.
That works if you have the drunk spins too.

 

I feel for you. You are talking about the eyes and not just the skin burn right? Has happened to me a few times over the years. I tell my wife it feels just like someone pushed 5 gallons of sand in my eyes. Some years ago someone told me humans have 7 protective layers in the eye. Burn through one some pain. Burn through several lots of pain. Go through that last one and you are blind forever.

The worst part for the first timers is there is a 4 to 6 hour delay on the pain in the eyes. Your skin hurts a bit but you think the eyes are OK until hours later. Really serious stuff. Yes I wear a hood. Autobody welding sometimes requires a bit of cheating to get the job done. If you have not had it happen to you you have no idea of how painful it is. Be extra extra careful always. Steve

If there is any good in this the eye is the fastest healing part of your body. Do the worst you can do it and recover in 24-36 hours. The pain doesn't last but a few hours though. Steve

 

Now that everyone else has beat you up about it, I guess you have forgotten all about your eyes. Like none of them have ever done something that they regretted later. Sounds like that this is your first and last time. All of the remedys everyone listed here will work. Best bet is to ask your pharmacist and keep it around. Quick fix is the potatoes and a dark room. Hope you are better now. Be careful everyone.

 

Why is 3:00 am the magic time that you wake up screaming to get the sand out of your eyes... when ever the eye Doc puts the gell in your eyes you will pay anything for that feeling!

I agree Get a Good helment!

racinman

 

Potato juice works, slice and squeeze

 

The last time you had it? Saved them for one or two more times? Are you kidding me?

We all seem to have plenty of money to spend on our cars...but we cringe at the thought of buying a top-quality $250 welding helmet....or even better buy a $50 wonderbrand from HF.......crazy....

 

Been welding on the big stuff for a long time, I have had good luck with a over the counter product called Stye, no shit, its a sterile lubricant eye ointment. Apply before going to bed if your eyes feel a little scratchy, preventive medicine. Sounds like you were stuffed into a hole for your welding enjoyment! Be carefull, only one set of eyes per customer.
John