Flash Burn?

[jessehornberger]

burning eyes

In my early days of welding (back in high school), I did not like to wear a helmet when tack welding. I was getting flash burn to extreme levels and often. I would wake up in the morning and not be able to open my eyes due to all the hard crusted eye-goobers on my eyelids. I am thankful i did not do any Permanent damage! One of my methods for healing was to put antibiotic ointment on my eyelids…it is made for minor burns. Found that it would heal in about 24hours. I finally got smart enough to wear a helmet. Helmets are made for a reason….Where them!

[usmcruz]

Forget those quack remedies, or old welding bushman tricks, and get yourselve's some naphcon eye drops to immediately alleve the pain and burning, and then go out and get yourself some common sense about welding without a hood.

[SundownIII]

Just keep in mind that the only thing I can think of being worse than dumb, is being dumb and BLIND.

From some of the comments here, it sounds like a few have the first down pat.

[kmomaha]

Watched my Granpa weld one day when I was 6 or 7. That night my eyes were like they had knives stuck in them and had the worst headache ever. Folks had to take me to emergency room to get pain shot. Learned the hard way. Yeh! I still tack every once in awhile without the helmet....lazy.

My biggest thing is grinding dust. My eyes are in misery after a good day of grinding. Even use a face shield. Dust just drifts up and under or the grit richochets up under it. Looking for some desert goggles that fit tight and are dust proof. I have a powerful magnet out of a computer hard drive that I keep around has saved me a few times, but a chance it's a carbide grit too.

[HaroldL.]

The majority of welders get flash burn due to indirect exposure.
UV radiation (the cause of the whole problem) bounces of from walls, surfaces etc. etc.
Some materials cause much faster flash burn then other materials.
Copper (brass) and Aluminium are some of the worst.
Never think your safe when you stand in the area where there is some welding going on.
Also a lot of welders are still using the wrong grade of shades.
Flash burn will leave a permanent mark on your eyes.
Always use the proper PPE and don't take any risks with your eyes.

[Corningagman]

Student example!!!

I am a metal shop teacher in northern Ca. The other day I was demostrating how to strike an arc SMAW, and then running a bead. I don't have enough welding helmets for all my students and I told them to take turns and I will strike an arc and runs some beads numerous times. Well one studet decided that he was to tough to use a helmet, he watched me run eight beads without an helmet. The next day the woodshop teacher comes and gets me to take to his shop and told me to go and look at this student who decided not to where a hood. As soon as the I saw this student you could tell he was in a great deal of pain with just the light in the shop. He had gotten flashburn and it was bad. Here is the kicker this student welds on his own at home with his family, he knew what would happen and did nothing about it. Bottum line is now I have a good example for other students to ask and see how important eye protection really is. From day one of school I have told my students that the pretty blue light can be mesmorizing but don't stare at without proper eye protection. I also tell my students all the time, you only have two eyes for the rest of your life protect them at all costs!