Welding.. My eyes hurt

calling911 · 12-07-2006, 11:28 AM

I have been doing A LOT of welding on my '69 and my eyes really are sore. I have one of those auto tint helmets and I have it adjusted so I can JUST see what I am doing while welding.. does anybody have any advice.. am I doing harm to my eyes?

Steve F · 12-07-2006, 11:30 AM

You need to have it on a value setting of 10, don't go less

Tim K · 12-07-2006, 11:40 AM

I've heard that some people's eyes are more sensitive to the micro second of weld flash that occurs while the glass reacts. Not too much you can do about it. Maybe some react slower than others? I seem to remember having some slight discomfort the first couple of times using my helmet (Speedglass). It seems fine now. Don't know if that's a good thing or not

. I suspect that if you are stitch welding a lot, it would exacerbate the problem (ie. on-off-on-off.....).

Tim K

randywebb · 12-07-2006, 11:42 AM

STOP welding and See an eye doctor NOW - take the helmet in!

your vision may be in danger

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

What kind of welding are you doing? gas, mig, tig? could be the fumes too?

lendaddy · 11:50 AM

I own a welding shop, define "hurt". If you have weld flash you need to get to a doc (someone else drive) right away.. It could just be smoke irritation so don't panic yet.

Edit: I say that you should get to a doc for the pain you're about to experience, not that you'll go blind or anything. I've seen dozens of cases of weld flash and actual vision damage was never even mentioned by the docs. I've had it two or three times myself so it happens.

osidak · 12-07-2006, 11:48 AM

Buddy of mine that does a lot of welding says people with light colored eyes have vision issues if they weld alot....... could be total BS but something to think about

calling911 · 12-07-2006, 11:55 AM

They are just "sore" .. I did have the helmet off once in error and got a nice jolt (the helmet is tinted when off so it was not a full flash).. this is one thing I HATE about the auto helmet.. it times out sometimes and you dont know it.. until.. I think I have it set to 10 or 11.. its about in the middle.. I could crank up the reaction time some though I guess.

I was welding all day yesterday and felt the same.. but I just can't imagine this is right.. maybe I'll go back to my static helmet and see what that is like..

Whats a doctor going to do?

I do have blue eyes.. someone mentioned light colored eyes?

I'll try the other helmet and see.. my best guess is that they are fatigued.. I also wonder if the grinding with NO tint is what is causing it?

calling911 · 12-07-2006, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lendaddy
I own a welding shop, define "hurt". If you have weld flash you need to get to a doc (someone else drive) right away.. It could just be smoke irritation so don't panic yet.

Edit: I say that you should get to a doc for the pain you're about to experience, not that you'll go blind or anything. I've seen dozens of cases of weld flash and actual vision damage was never even mentioned by the docs. I've had it two or three times myself so it happens.

Its not flash then.. same thing yesterday and its not severe pain at all.. its barely pain.. its more like I said, soreness. I also notice some odd almost like reflections in my vision.. again I had this yesterday.. I was fine in the morning..

I hate my other helmet but I guess I better go back to it.. what a pain flipping it down all the time!

Classic · 12-07-2006, 12:02 PM

I know it's a 69 but if you are welding in galvanised patches the smoke/fumes can really irritate the eyes.

Grind/blast the edges before welding gal.. ask me how i know

vash · vash's Garage

i hurt my eyes welding. at night, i woke up in big time pain. i ended up at the doctors. i had the helmet on, but i think there was alot of light bouncing around and behind. you should go and see a doc, if anything the lecture will be entertaining.

lendaddy · 12-07-2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by calling911
They are just "sore" .. I did have the helmet off once in error and got a nice jolt (the helmet is tinted when off so it was not a full flash).. this is one thing I HATE about the auto helmet.. it times out sometimes and you dont know it.. until.. I think I have it set to 10 or 11.. its about in the middle.. I could crank up the reaction time some though I guess.

I was welding all day yesterday and felt the same.. but I just can't imagine this is right.. maybe I'll go back to my static helmet and see what that is like..

Whats a doctor going to do?

I do have blue eyes.. someone mentioned light colored eyes?

I'll try the other helmet and see.. my best guess is that they are fatigued.. I also wonder if the grinding with NO tint is what is causing it?

Unless the lens' are scratched (unlikely with the protected auto dimming units) you won't get it from inside the helmet. Even when off they are designed to have enough tint to protect you eyes from actual flash.

What people don't realize is that you can get flash from reflections off something behind you or from the side or bouncing off a necklace or something like that.

What the doctor will do is give you pain medication, that's about it. You WILL want this pain medication, it's a really bad pain. My guys say smoking dope works best though that's not my thing sio I can't confirm. Trust me though, if you have weld flash you'll be willing to smoke crack around midnight tonight if you thought it would ease your pain.

randywebb · 12-07-2006, 12:06 PM

A doctor is going to take your history - when, how long etc. and may give you an eye test. They will certainly examine your eyes. They will tell you whether you can continue welding at all, and if so, how long you should wait before resuming it.

No one can diagnose how dangerous the problem is over the internet - even if they had the years of training that an eye doctor has.

Don't play around with this - see a doctor right away.

lendaddy · 12-07-2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by randywebb
A doctor is going to take your history - when, how long etc. and may give you an eye test. They will certainly examine your eyes. They will tell you whether you can continue welding at all, and if so, how long you should wait before resuming it.

No one can diagnose how dangerous the problem is over the internet - even if they had the years of training that an eye doctor has.

Don't play around with this - see a doctor right away.

Very true, every guy that has gotten it here (including myself) has gone to the doctor and you should do the same.

calling911 · 12:32 PM

Well; I have pain meds (back pain).. so if thats all a doc is gonna do.. I guess I will take a break from welding.. although I am making great progress... here is how I had my helmet set.. but I have turned them both up quite a bit...

And I HAVE been welding on some galvanized sheet metal.. maybe thats it? I thought the point was to weld right on it? I have also been using zinc spray and welding on that.. something tells me I am doing bad things.

If I didn't feel just like this yesterday I'd be off to the doc as you guys suggest.. I'll give it a few hours and see how I feel..

I got the rocker welded in anyway.. should I be wearing tinted goggles when I am grinding.. ??

I had a nice emergency room run 2 weeks ago when a rust pocket exploded and I got a nice shard stuck in my eye.. they had to GRIND it out of my eye!!!!! I switched to goggles from glasses.. and I STILL got metal in my eye!

calling911 · 12-07-2006, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cgarr
What kind of welding are you doing? gas, mig, tig? could be the fumes too?

Sorry; MIG. Was my helmet set too low? I cranked it up but now I can't see *****.

calling911 · 12-07-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tim K
I've heard that some people's eyes are more sensitive to the micro second of weld flash that occurs while the glass reacts. Not too much you can do about it. Maybe some react slower than others? I seem to remember having some slight discomfort the first couple of times using my helmet (Speedglass). It seems fine now. Don't know if that's a good thing or not . I suspect that if you are stitch welding a lot, it would exacerbate the problem (ie. on-off-on-off.....).

Tim K

I went and paid attention to what happens when I start to weld.. I think this is my problem.. I get a HUGE initial flash.. I am going to crank up the sensitivity.. I think I had it set too low.. not sure why I did not adjust this.. STUPID.

lendaddy · 12-07-2006, 12:38 PM

OK, go buy a big milkshake and drink it. I'm not kidding, this is suppose to help with the galvo sickness, it could be a bunch of BS, but that's what all welders say helps. This could very easily be your problem, those fumes are bad news.

I hope I did not discourage you from going to a doc, you really should go if you suspect either.

84toy · 12-07-2006, 12:42 PM

My eyes get a little sore after lots of welding. I think it's due to the intense focus & concentration all day. I have also had my eyes flash burned from just being in a room for awhile (unprotected eyes) where lots of welding was being done. That pain is like someone put sand in your eyes and usually kicks in 4-6 hours after being exposed (middle of the night) You will RUN to the emergency room when that happens because the pain is terrible.

dvkk · 12-07-2006, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by calling911
I went and paid attention to what happens when I start to weld.. I think this is my problem.. I get a HUGE initial flash.. I am going to crank up the sensitivity.. I think I had it set too low.. not sure why I did not adjust this.. STUPID.

You can also blink just before the arc.