Welder’s Flash: Eye Pain After Welding? Here’s What to Know
Welder’s flash, also called photokeratitis or arc eye, is a painful eye injury caused by ultraviolet radiation from a welding arc. It can affect welders and anyone nearby who has an unprotected direct or reflected view of the arc.
Proper eye protection is essential because welding exposure can damage the corneal surface and cause significant pain, tearing, light sensitivity, and blurred vision.
What Is Welder’s Flash?
The cornea is the clear front surface of the eye. Intense ultraviolet radiation from welding can damage this surface, similar to a sunburn on the eye.
Symptoms often begin several hours after exposure and include:
Eye pain or burning
Redness
Excessive tearing
A gritty or foreign-body sensation
Light sensitivity
Difficulty keeping the eyes open
Blurred vision
Symptoms can affect one or both eyes depending on the exposure.
Who Is at Risk?
The welder is not the only person at risk. Anyone who can see an unprotected welding arc can be exposed to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
This includes:
Welding assistants
Coworkers
Supervisors
Maintenance staff
Inspectors
Other workers nearby
Welding screens, barriers, and proper protective eyewear help protect everyone working near active welding operations.
What Should You Do After Welding Exposure?
If eye symptoms develop after welding or grinding:
Stop the exposure and leave the work area.
Do not rub your eyes.
Remove contact lenses if they are easy to remove.
Avoid returning to hazardous work while your eyes are painful or your vision is blurred.
Arrange prompt eye care if symptoms are significant or persistent.
Seek urgent eye care for:
Severe or worsening eye pain
Significant blurred vision
Severe light sensitivity
A foreign body sensation that remains after gentle rinsing
High-speed metal or particle impact
Chemical exposure
Visible injury or bleeding
Sudden vision loss
Preventing Welder’s Flash and Eye Injuries
Welder’s flash is preventable with appropriate eye protection.
Depending on the task, protection can include:
A properly rated welding helmet
The correct filter shade
Safety glasses with side protection
Welding goggles
Welding screens or barriers for nearby workers
Safety glasses are required underneath a welding helmet to protect against sparks, metal fragments, and debris.
Ordinary sunglasses, tinted lenses, smoked plastic, and modified eyewear do not provide adequate protection from welding radiation.
Protective eyewear should also be inspected regularly. Replace scratched, cracked, loose, or damaged equipment before welding continues.
Follow workplace safety procedures, and never look directly at an active welding arc without appropriate protection.
Eye Care After Welding Exposure
LivingHope Vision Clinic provides eye assessments for welding-related concerns, including welder’s flash, foreign-body exposure, eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, and changes in vision.
If you develop eye pain, tearing, redness, light sensitivity, or blurred vision after welding, grinding, or another workplace exposure, schedule a prompt eye assessment with LivingHope Vision Clinic in Hamilton or Burlington.
Early assessment helps identify the injury, begin appropriate treatment, and reduce the risk of further eye damage or avoidable vision loss.
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