Irritated Eyes

[kiwi]

I had been welding, cutting and grinding for about twenty six hours on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday I noticed that my eyes had a mild burning (a similar feeling when pollen is blooming) and felt somewhat gritty. I always wear my helmet (either a Jackson auto or a H.F. auto) when welding and googles/glasses when grinding or cutting. Have any of you experienced this also?
Thanks,
Nick

[jasonmckibben]

How much were you cutting and if it was alot are you wearing shaded cutting glasses?
Also, sometimes if you are in a closed in area with less than superb ventilation the smoke can definatly get to your eyes if you arn't careful. Or if your saftey glasses aren't the goggle kind dust can get around them and still get to your eyes. Or just keeping them straining that long in a relativly short period of time, if they aren't used to it can mess them up.

just some thoughts.

[kiwi]

How much were you cutting and if it was alot are you wearing shaded cutting glasses?
Also, sometimes if you are in a closed in area with less than superb ventilation the smoke can definatly get to your eyes if you arn't careful. Or if your saftey glasses aren't the goggle kind dust can get around them and still get to your eyes. Or just keeping them straining that long in a relativly short period of time, if they aren't used to it can mess them up.

just some thoughts.

Hey thanks for the reply. The cutting I am doing is not with an OA torch, it is with abrasive discs so I don't wear shaded cutting glasses. The smoke and dust are a definite factor. Thanks for your thoughts!
Nick

[diamondback]

It is also very likely that you obtained "arc flash" or a sunburn in your eyes. It can come from a variety of sources many of which you were involved in. I feels like grit in your eyes and can range from minor discomfort to extreme pain. Been there. For me it felt like hot sand being poured into my eyes. I at first went to the doctor and he gave me some stuff to put in my eyes that took awhile to work. This is when I was told to cut a potato and put it on my eyes and let the coolness of the potato and also the starch to help. It did, anyone who has been in welding for a length of time will know how arc flash feels and what a potato is for.

[SignWave]

What were you grinding? I know that my eyes get all full of sand after a long day of cut'n'grind. I suspect it would be caused by the fiber that is in the cutting/grinding discs. As they wear down they are releasing very small particles of the reinforcing fibre into your space. I can only suggest safety gogs or glasses with siders. If your working Aluminum, well, Al forms the smallest of particles of any of the other elements so make sure you are wearing a high quality breathing mask too...

[shott8283]

i noticed just an hour of cutting grinding would cause my nose to be full of metal dust.. id sneeze and blackness shoots out the nostrils.. cant be good for the ole' lungs...

[kiwi]

What were you grinding? I know that my eyes get all full of sand after a long day of cut'n'grind. I suspect it would be caused by the fiber that is in the cutting/grinding discs. As they wear down they are releasing very small particles of the reinforcing fibre into your space. I can only suggest safety gogs or glasses with siders. If your working Aluminum, well, Al forms the smallest of particles of any of the other elements so make sure you are wearing a high quality breathing mask too...

I was cutting/grinding 3/16" angle...a bunch! The fiber and particles sound like a possibility... coalsmoke says that this happens to him, does happen to you guys?
Thanks,
Nick

[Dustyhaze75]

ya sounds like welders flash. I've had this a few times. One time I had it bad in both eyes and had to sit with patches over my eyes for a couple days, if I remember correct. It usually takes 24 - 48 hours to heal the cornea. however, if the flash burn is not treated, an infection could start. this can be serious and may lead to some loss of vision. it feels like sand in your eyes. the hospital will give you some anaesthetic eye drops that freeze your eyes to complete the examination and relieve pain. these eye drops are only to be used once for the examination. they may give you some atropine drops used to relax the eye muscles, which in turn eases pain and allows your eyes to rest and heal. they may also give you antibiotic eye drops to stop infection. sounds like you got a mild case of welers flash. if its not bad, just wait and it'll pass. If its scratching bad and unbearable and you have a hard time keeping your eyes open then go to the hospital. when I had it it seemed to take time to set in. couple hours after work it started with a light scratching, later that night I couldn't even open my eyes. hope this has helped .................................................. .

[kiwi]

ya sounds like welders flash. I've had this a few times. One time I had it bad in both eyes and had to sit with patches over my eyes for a couple days, if I remember correct. It usually takes 24 - 48 hours to heal the cornea. however, if the flash burn is not treated, an infection could start. this can be serious and may lead to some loss of vision. it feels like sand in your eyes. the hospital will give you some anaesthetic eye drops that freeze your eyes to complete the examination and relieve pain. these eye drops are only to be used once for the examination. they may give you some atropine drops used to relax the eye muscles, which in turn eases pain and allows your eyes to rest and heal. they may also give you antibiotic eye drops to stop infection. sounds like you got a mild case of welers flash. if its not bad, just wait and it'll pass. If its scratching bad and unbearable and you have a hard time keeping your eyes open then go to the hospital. when I had it it seemed to take time to set in. couple hours after work it started with a light scratching, later that night I couldn't even open my eyes. hope this has helped .................................................. .

Thanks for the post. It was never really bad. Like I said just some irritation and a scratchy feeling. It is basically gone as of this afternoon. If it were mild flash burns I don't see how I got them. I never weld without my helmet.
Thanks,
Nick

[Dustyhaze75]

good to hear .......................
mabey it was just the grinding like the outhers have said.