Arc eye!
Oh, that painful experience that feels like having sand in the eyes for hours!
It’s a familiar story if you accidentally looked at welding arc which is usually like blurred vision. You then look for some welding eye burn home remedy to get instant relief.
To be fair, most of them are just old wives’ tales and not that helpful at all.
Fret not!
The good news here is that there are some home remedies for eye burn that actually work and are recommended by optometrists. This might surprise you, but that is the truth.
Let’s see what those remedies are and how you should do it to get the best results.
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What is a flash eye?
Have you ever suffered from sunburn in your eyes? Temporary welding blindness?
If yes, then you can understand how it feels in arc eye. Flash burn is like sunburn and usually affects both the eyes.
A flash burn is an awful inflammation of the cornea. It’s in the clear tissue that wraps the front of the eye. An Arc or flash burn occurs when someone is exposed to harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.
Though it can be caused by any types of UV light, welding torches are usually the main culprit. That’s why it is called ‘arc eye’ ‘or welder’s flash.’
You already know, it can affect both the eyes but the good thing is your cornea can repair itself within 2 to 3 days and usually cures without leaving a scar. But, if the flash burns are severe and not treated, it may turn into an infection. This can be fatal and may lead to a partial loss of vision.
Want to prevent flash eyes? select the best welding helmet for your welding works.
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Arc eye symptoms
Accidentally looked at UV light?
It may do some serious damage in the eyes. Burning eyes can give a gritty sensation. In fact, the white part of your eye may look reddish or pinkish, and there may be some other unpleasant effects brought about by the burning, such as puffiness, itching, and discharge.
So how will you figure out that its Arc eye? Here are some indications that prove you have flash burn.
- Bloodshot eyes
- Pain (mild to very severe)
- Watery eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- The feeling of sticking something in your eye
RELATED: TIG welder reviews
How long does welding flash burn last?
Welding flash burns are a common problem for welders. The duration of the burns depends on how long it takes to cool down after welding, but can last anywhere from one day to six weeks.
The severity of the burns also depends on the type of metal being welded and how often someone has been exposed to welding flash burn.
Sometimes, even if the flash doesn’t hit the skin directly, it can still cause discomfort and irritation.
Just like with direct contact burns, you have to remove the foreign material immediately. This is not only to prevent further damage to your skin, but also to prevent the spread of infection.
Taking Care at Home after a Flash Burn: Welding Eye Burn Home Remedy
You may get various suggestions using different products to calm the stinging sensation, such as lubricating eye drops and prescription. Undoubtedly they are effective but you should only use it with a specialist’s recommendation.
If you are one of those who want to try some natural burning eyes home remedy first, then try these handy ingredients.
1. Milk
Yes, you heard that right. As milk is a great remedy for skin burn, it is also a handful in arc eye. Milk has natural enzymes that work well in treating itching. At the same time, it soothes the suffering eyes and calms down the inflammation.
How to apply?
Boil milk and then allow it to cool down to get its room temperature. Then you have to dip a cotton ball in that cool milk and touch it gently on the affected eye area.
How often should you apply it?
Apply over the affected eye area and then rinse off after 3 – 5 minutes. For best results, do this twice a day.
2. Tea bags
Teabags for welders flash?
Ok, I know what you are thinking; you think I’m kidding, right?
Surprisingly enough, it’s true. Teabags contain antioxidants that soothe inflammation and combat pain. It is not only great for the flash burn but treats other eye-related problems like puffy eyes, dark circles.
Try something Naturally Decaffeinated like Decaf Apricot Black Tea (Click Here to Buy).
3. Cucumber
A little bit surprised to see cucumber in this list?
So I researched a lot and found out Cucumber is an awesome cooling agent that is quite rich in water. As a result, it soothes the itchy, dry skin around the eye and hydrates it. It offers a deep moisturization to the burn area.
What’s the magic formula?
Take two thick cucumber slices, refrigerate for a few minutes and put them on the eyes.
Yes, it is that simple! Do this thrice a day for best results. (Read more about welder health problem).
4. Vicks Vaporub
That ointment you use for your runny nose and headache?
Yes, that’s right.
In fact, it’s quite popular among welders for quick relief. But the truth is the jelly-like substance makes your eyes clean and watery.
Now let’s see how you are to apply it.
Carefully apply some Vicks vaporub under the eyes. Repeat it twice daily. But first, a warning: make sure to not get any jelly into your eyes.
You can use the regular one (Vicks VapoRub). Click for details on Amazon.
5. Rose Water
Not only a beauty’s magic potion, but rose water can also be great in treating irritation from welder’s flash. The cooling sensation reduces itching and swelling.
What Do You Have To Do?
Take a cotton ball and soak it in rose water. Place them over the affected eyes and leave it for 10 minutes.
You start to worry what the right brand of rose water for arc eyes, right?
Don’t worry. Here are some of the items that impressed us most:
- Heritage Store Rose Petals Rosewater (Click Here)
- Rose Water by Leven Rose (Click Here)
6. Do potatoes help welder’s flash?
Potatoes! You must be joking!
Not really buddy. Surprising enough, but when it comes to welder’s flash treatment, potatoes are remarkable.
What’s great is:
It offers a cooling effect that reduces inflammation around the itching eye. Meanwhile, this minimizes the suffering and relieves the irritation.
What Do You Have To Do?
All you need is a potato and washcloth. First of all, grate the potatoes and place that grated potato on a wet cloth. Place the wrapped potato in the refrigerator for around 5 minutes.
And it’s ready!
Lie down and place that wrapped potato on both eyes. Keep it 10-15 minutes.
7. Aloe Vera
Yes, those thick, green leaves can make magic!
This short-stemmed plant stores water in its leaves. Because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, aloe vera works great as a natural remedy to alleviate sore eyes.
How to use it?
Mix fresh aloe vera gel (2 tablespoons) into cold water, and soak cotton rounds in the mixture. Now just Place the soaked cotton on your affected eyes for 10 minutes.
8. Is Castor Oil the Answer to Healing Burns and Eyes?
It will help to soothe the burn and protect the eye from infection. Here are the steps to using castor oil for welding eye burns:
- Rinse your eyes with cold water for 15 minutes.
- Apply a cold compress to your eyes for 10 minutes.
- Apply castor oil to a cotton ball and place it over your eyes.
- Leave the cotton ball in place for 30 minutes.
- Repeat the process three times a day until the irritation subsides.
- See your doctor if the symptoms don’t improve after two weeks of treatment with castor oil.
Castor oil is also a great way to prevent welding eye burns from happening in the first place. Simply apply a few drops of castor oil around the eyes before beginning work.
Some extra tips for fast relief in stinging eyes
- Rinse your eyelids with water. Rinsing can remove irritants and allergens from your eye, so that it can reduce dryness and inflammation.
- Drink more water to keep eye moisture. This is because dry eyes can trigger burning, stinging, and irritation.
- Soak a cotton cloth in warm water, and apply the warm compress over your closed eyes several times a day.
- Apply cucumber slices over the closed eye to reduce swelling, inflammation, puffiness, and burning.
- Try to avoid blue screen during the process of healing. You need to give your eyes a break.
- You can also use a slice of cool potato.
- Have more omega-3 fatty acids-rich food to get relief on dry eyes and burning. It may include tuna, salmon, anchovies, and sardines.
- Run a humidifier to maximize air moisture that relieves dry eyes.
- Try eye drops for welders flash if any of the home remedies don’t give the result. The Preservative Free Eye Drops is considered as one of the best eye drops for welding flash.
Home remedy for red eyes due to welding
Welders often experience red eyes. The bright light and heat can cause the eyes to become irritated and red. There are a few home remedies that can help reduce the redness. One is to use a cold compress on the eyes.
This will help reduce inflammation. Another is to use artificial tears or eye drops. This will help lubricate the eyes and reduce irritation. Finally, it is important to take breaks during welding to give your eyes a chance to rest.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do you treat a welding burn?
Answer: In most cases, apply something to cool on that intense sunburn. You can try aloe vera as first aid, but it’s generally recommended to use a topical steroid as it gives a lot more relief.
2. Does welding ruin your eyes?
Answer: Undoubtedly, arc eye is pretty painful. But the good news is that most of these injuries are preventable. More specifically, fully 95% of arc injuries are back at the workplace within a week and over 50% return within two days.
3. How long does it take for arc eye to show up?
Answer: In a plain words, these symptoms may not be visible until 6-12 hours. However, Vision returns after 18 hours usually. The surface of the cornea heals typically within 24 to 48 hours.
4. What does welders flash feel like?
Answer: Flash burn symptoms include red eyes, burning watery eyes, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and annoying feeling like you have something odd in your eye.
5. How do you stop a weld from burning?
Answer: Well, it’s literally impossible to stop it. But be careful and use flame-resistant earmuffs or earplugs to keep sparks away of ears when welding. Also, don’t forget to Wear oil-free garments such as a heavy shirt, leather gloves, high shoes, cuffless pants, and a cap.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a welding eye burn can be a very painful and unpleasant experience. The article has given a few home remedies that may help with the pain and discomfort of a welding eye burn.
In order to prevent this from happening, it is recommended to wear protective gear to shield the eyes from the sparks from the weld.
