Can You Go Blind From Welding? Protect Your Eyes From Welding

There is a most asking question is can you go blind from welding? So the answer is Yes, welding damage your eyes.

In the United States, about 4 million people work in welding, either part-time or full. Regardless of their industry, welders encounter several workplace accidents. Surprisingly, according to one study, there were approximately 6000 welding-related deaths in 2014, and over 2000 people had their eyes damaged.

Can Welding Blind You?

The number of welding-related injuries has surpassed the rate of mortality in other occupations, which is terrible news for welders. The primary cause is the welder’s laziness and ignorance. If the welder is not correctly protected, they must work in a high-risk environment. Being blind for the rest of your life may lead to neglect, and it’s possible that being blind for your entire life will cause you to be overlooked.

Do welders go blind as a result of their work?

Yes, a welder can become blind. If the required safeguards are not implemented as soon as the spark hits the welder’s eyes, the welder will be injured.

How to Avoid Welding Sparks and Keep Your Eyes Safe?

A skilled welder has offered some advice, and I’m going to give you the essence of it. During his years of welding, he suffered from both flash burn and arc eyes. He said that his eyes had been damaged but that they had recovered by the next day. Then he made adjustments to his routines and equipment.

He cautioned people to be cautious. To shield himself from electric ultraviolet, he used to wear an auto-darkening welding helmet. Inside his mask, he wore gold-plated lens sunglasses. Under the helmet, some welders wear inexpensive sunglasses, and cheap sunglasses will not give you the best results.

As a result, he suggests the appropriate lens. He advised that even if it costs a bit extra, cheap welding goggles should be avoided. Because lenses, particularly gold-plated lenses, would not only protect you from ultraviolet rays but also assist you to prevent sparks.

If you work as a welder, you should know how to care for your eyes after suffering from Flash Eye or Spark Burn. You can use painkillers to help you feel better. Before you start using it, double-check the dosage. The discomfort can linger for up to a day.

Until your eyes have healed, avoid reading with contact lenses. If your eyes are light-sensitive, wear sunglasses. Artificial tears might help you feel better about your eyes. Almost anything can be purchased from a pharmacist. However, you should consult your doctor later.

Check out here “Welding tools list for beginners“.

What are the effects of UV and infrared rays on the eyes?

Photokeratitis, while unpleasant, is not a lifelong condition. However, if you were exposed to enough Ultraviolet radiation to burn your corneas, you added another dose of UV rays to the overall amount your eyes have already received.

Spending time in the sun without protection can create a range of short-term problems in our eyes, similar to how our skin burns after many hours in the sun. Although the short-term effects of UV eye damage may fade, continuous UV exposure can cause the lens and cornea to yellow, making it more challenging to distinguish brightness in our vision.

What is the best way for a welder to shield his eyes from dangerous rays?

This one is uncomplicated. When welding, always wear an ANSI-approved welding helmet to protect your eyes from hazardous UV and IR rays. Even when not darkened, auto-darkening helmets must provide complete protection against UV and IR rays, according to the ANSI Z87.1 standard. As a result, consumers should double-check that the helmet is ANSI Z87.1 certified before making a purchase.

Keep in mind that informal welding arc exposure can be dangerous as well. So, even if you’re standing far away from a welder, UV rays will still reach your eyes.

The outstanding player of welding equipment is UV-protected safety glasses. They can reduce intense light while increasing contrast when shaded. However, if labeled as such, even transparent safety glasses can provide 100 percent UV protection. When working in a welding shop, safety glasses are a must-have tool. One of the most significant reasons to wear them, which is often ignored, is that UV-rated safety glasses can protect eyesight from both short- and long-term UV damage.

Check out here “How to MIG weld Aluminum“.

What is the best way to keep our eyes safe from the sun?

Of course, when welding, make sure you’re wearing an ANSI Z87.1-certified helmet. Wear a certified helmet if you’re incredibly close to the welding, or at the very least a pair of Ultraviolet sunglasses or safety glasses if you’re further away.

Because UV and IR radiation have a long-term effect over a lifetime, you should always wear UV protection sunglasses or prescription glasses when not welding but spending time outdoors in direct sunshine. Especially during the middle of the day, when the sun is at its greatest point in the sky. If you have children, you should start protecting their eyes from the sun as soon as possible. Shades can be provided by umbrellas, hats, or suitable sunglasses.

Conclusion

Conclusively, welding can damage your eyes, and you can go blind when the welding spark hits your eyes. Not only does wearing a welding helmet ensure your safety, but it also improves your productivity and quality of work.

Hopefully, you know that welding will damage your eyes and how to protect them from sparks. I am sure this article will help you to fix your welding problems. Always remember that safety comes first.

FAQs

Are welding glasses safe?

While welding glasses protect you from the optical radiation produced by welding, including heat, sparks, and flame, sunglasses that you wear for protection only block damaging UV rays from the sun. To protect oneself from the sun, you could in fact wear welding glasses to the beach or anywhere else.

How far away is it safe to look at welding?

Without the proper filter, I would never gaze at a welding arc from a distance of less than 10 miles. Unless you are positive that the arc is short compared to your eye’s resolution, distance is not a reliable strategy to lessen the intensity.

What happens if you don’t wear eye protection while welding?

Although it hurts a lot, this injury is rarely permanent. Eye pain, tears, and swelling are symptoms of arc eye. Inadequate eye protection while welding increases the risk of photokeratitis, conjunctivitis, cataracts, skin cancer, burns to the retina, and dermal burns.