Those who are engaged in welding work need to be very careful to protect their eye health. Because the intense light that occurs during welding can have a negative effect on the eye and impair eye health. The condition popularly known as eye welding is an example of exactly what we are talking about. Let’s take a closer look at exactly what welding, which causes burning and stinging sensation in the eye as well as intense pain, is and how it passes.
What is eye welding?
During welding, the bright light produced by the welding arc has a UV effect. UV light that comes into direct contact with the eye contains radiation that can reach the retina. Direct contact of the rays with the eye damages the eye, especially the cornea layer, and causes vision to be affected. In this case, which is popularly called eye welding, redness, swelling and pain may occur in the eye.
What are the symptoms of welding?
If you are directly exposed to welding light, you will start to see various symptoms appear in your eye, with varying effects over time. If we list these symptoms, we can get a list as follows.
- Excessive Redness of the Eyes: The most common symptom after welding is redness. An image similar to blood in the eyes appears. The redness decreases over time, but in the early stages, we see that a very obvious and disturbing redness occurs.
- Constant Burning and Stinging Sensation: We can say that this is the most disturbing of the symptoms of source damage in the eye. The person constantly feels discomfort such as burning and stinging in the eye. If the painful process continues, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist.
- Sudden Loss of Vision: Although it is a more rare symptom, it should be said that it is still a symptom that can be encountered. The symptom of sudden vision loss can usually occur at the first moment of welding. Suddenly, we see effects such as glare in the eyes and closing of the vision.
- Blurred Vision Another effect of source light on the eye is blurred vision. In general, the blurred vision effect occurs in the first days of exposure to light and we see that it passes in a short time. We can say that redness and burning and stinging in the eye also have an effect on blurred vision.
- Increased Sensitivity to Light: You will see that sensitivity increases when looking towards light sources after receiving welding. Problems such as glare may occur when looking at light sources. Effects such as headaches may also occur.
How does a welding in the eye go away?
These symptoms and effects are often temporary. However, the duration and intensity of exposure to welding light may cause the symptoms to increase in frequency. We can give some additional advice at the point of treatment.
- Applying a cold compress directly to the eyes to allow the eyes to rest. This will help to relieve the swelling and alleviate the pain.
- Resting the eyes for a long time and staying away from light sources for a certain period of time.
- Resting and purifying the eyes by using eye drops recommended by the ophthalmologist. The duration of use and the dosage of the medication should be specified by your ophthalmologist.
All these are not enough to answer the question of how to relieve eye welding. Yes, these methods are effective in relieving the eye, but in case of long-term complaints, you should definitely consult an ophthalmologist. This is very important to prevent permanent damage and to take precautions.
