I see spots when I close my eyes.

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I bought a new Hobart welding mask/helmet. I believe that the tinted part is rated at "10". I used it to do a couple of small stick welding repairs on my lawn mower a few weeks ago. (Note #1- I think that the Lincoln 225 welder was set to 90 amps, and I was using a 1/8" (I think) 6013 rod. Ten minutes non continous weld time.) (Note #2- This is the first time that I have welded while wearing my corrective eye glasses.) Since then I see spots in my peripheral vision when I blink my eyes. (One spot, each eye, toward the outside edge. The one in my right eye is at two o'clock. The one in the left eye is at eight o'clock.) I think that my vision is "dimmer" on the outside edges now.

Here are my questions: Does this sound like a welding injury? Could the welding flash have been focused on my retnas at different places by my corrective lenses? If this is a welding injury, will my eyes recover?

Thank you for your help!
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[wrench3047]

I've burnt my eyes with more amperage for more duration to the point I could barely see, It took awhile and was very uncomfortable( itchy burning sand in eyeball feeling) for a couple days and I see better now than when I was a teenager. Not recommending you do this but I recovered.

It might be cause by the glasses in your case but I know a few welders that weld with glasses on and use the same hoods as others without glasses.

I suggest that you check your welding helmet under a light bulb to see if there are any pinholes or gaps around the lens. One other thing I might check is if there was anything reflective in your weld area that could have bounced the light into the back of your hood back into your eyes. Just a couple of thoughts.

don't forget to take cover after you frag out

[Steved]

Good note on the reflective items around you. Make sure that you have DARK clothes on. White clothes will reflect the radiation into your eyes.

Hope that you get this figured out, it does not sound like fun.

[aphexafx]

If it's been a few weeks...perhaps you should plan a visit to your doctor's office and figure out what's up.

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Thanks for the advise!

I really appreciate the kind replies! I never had the sandy, itchy feeling in my eyes, just the spots. I can't say for sure that it started after I welded my mower deck brackets. There were a lot of reflective surfaces around that could have bounced the light back up inside of the helmet.

I think that I will make an appointment with the eye doc and see if he can find out what is wrong.

Best Regards,
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I got the [email protected]#t scared out of me!

I talked to a friend about these spots that I have been seeing. She said that I may have a detached or torn retina and that I need to go to the doctor like "right now!"

I called my regular optometrist's office and described my symptoms. They made me come in right away!

The doc took a long look at my eyes with those lenses and lights and told me, "There is something back there. I want to get a second opinion. Brenda will make an appointment for you right now. Don't go home. Go right to this ophthalmologist's office right now. Try not to worry."\

I did as I was told!

Long story short. No detached retina. No tears. No burn trauma. However the vitreous is detaching from my retinas five to ten years ahead of nature's schedule. It is hung up in a couple of places and that is what is causing the spots in my vision.

The best case scenario--the vitreous will detach naturally.

The worst case scenario--the vitreous will not detach cleanly. My retinas will detach or tear. (Both of these are repairable if treated in a timely fashion.)

I am praying for the "best case scenario".

The moral of the story; "Don't take your vision for granted!"

All the best,
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