Welding: how to protect and cure the eyes from pain

As a child, parents all forbade us to observe the welding process of structures, and not for nothing - it's really very dangerous for the eyes.

Even with their full protection, which professional welders have, by a certain age, such negative symptoms as visual impairment and retinal detachment occur.

And without protection, a very short look is sufficient to get a severe burn.

If you are faced with such a nuisance, then you urgently need to take a set of measures to avoid more serious consequences.

Why is welding so dangerous?

The electric arc generated by the welding machine is the source of the strongest concentrated ultraviolet radiation, that is, the radiation present in the sun's rays.

Although the energy of welding is millions of times weaker than solar, even a short-term view of it promises far more negative consequences than a glance at the sun.

This is related to the relatively close distance of the apparatus, as well as the practically point concentration of radiation, making it very dense and strong.

Because of this, it causes a physical light burn of the tender cornea of ​​the eye, called in the medicine by electrophthalmia.

Symptoms of such a burn are pronounced brightly and can not go unnoticed: flickering of light spots in the eyes( so-called "bunnies"), burning and pain.

Degrees of burns

There are several degrees of damage to the eye tissues:

1. Easy degree. In the eyelids there is burning and itching, the cornea becomes red and becomes turbid.
2. Average degree. Photophobia, conjunctival film coating, corneal erosion, the pain becomes sharper and more acute.
3. Heavy. The cornea grows even thicker, the pain becomes drawn, the eyelids swell, the vision deteriorates, the eyes are tightened by the film, a foreign body is sensed in the century.
4. Extremely severe. Conjunctiva dies off, the cornea completely dies, like all other tissues, the eyelids can not be opened, full blindness occurs.

It is not possible to get burns of the last two degrees with the usual view of welding. To do this, you need to get a big spark in your eye, and this is possible only with close proximity to welding, when working with it.

That is, the burn should be not only light, but also thermal. Nevertheless, the first two degrees of burns are quite painful.

The most deceptive here is that it is not always possible to recognize them from the very beginning - the pain in the eyes can grow gradually, and at first you will only feel the lachrymation and sensation of the foreign body that can be perceived for the usual ingress of a speck in the eye.

But if these feelings reach you immediately after looking at the welding, then most likely it's not a mote, but a burn, so take immediate action, even if you do not feel severe pain and other unpleasant sensations.

First aid

Do not self-medicate, burn - this is serious enough eye damage and a qualified specialist needs to be inspected. Therefore, one can take only initial, basic measures alone, which can reduce pain and prevent the development of a burn in more serious illnesses, and also allow the patient to reach the nearest hospital.

It is necessary to give the patient an anesthetic and antihistamine medication. Antihistamine is needed to prevent the development of inflammation, for these purposes, Claridol or Tavegil is good.

But do not use topical medications - without the doctor's decision, you can not use painkillers or ointments, because they can contain preservatives and other substances that irritate the damaged cornea.

First aid is provided only with oral medication.

Next, rinse your eyes with distilled water, which you can buy at any store. It is forbidden to rinse with tap water.

Since chlorine, calcium and other compounds will be harmful to the eyes, there is also the possibility of infection due to the weakening of the immune defense of damaged mucous membranes.

If metal particles appear in your eyes, you should try to remove them with a sterile swab. But do it only if you are confident in your ability to perform such an operation painlessly and correctly, otherwise, entrust this matter to the doctor.

Apply a compress consisting of a cloth moistened with cool water. Change it every ten minutes.

Treatment of

It is very important not to use any folk remedies at least in the first few days after the burn and be treated only with medicinal preparations.

There have been no studies of the effects of "grandmother" recipes on damaged eyes, so postpone the experimentation with them until the time when the damaged organ is relatively restored.

There are three types of drops that can help against an ailment: painkillers( tetracaine, lidocaine), anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive( Vizin, Vizaptin, Prokulin).

The first category should be treated with caution - painkillers can negatively affect eyesight, so if you need to reduce pain, you better use tableted analgesics.

But the application of antiseptic and antihistamine ointments will never be superfluous. Gently lubricate their eyes at least once a day.

A doctor can prescribe such antibacterial drops as Tevrex and Tobrex.

Remember: no matter how strong it was, it is strictly forbidden to rub eyes, even with clean hands. Anti-allergic drops and tablets should be used against itching.

This table clearly shows the preparations that can be used for eye burns:

Welding can be very detrimental to vision. Constant work at the computer also threatens with disorders of the visual apparatus. These articles will help you avoid such consequences:

Folk remedies

When the acute stage of electro-ophthalmia has already passed, you can experiment with folk remedies. Here, in the first place, you can include such antiseptics as aloe juice and tincture of oak bark.

Also good moisturizing broths that will remove itching, reduce pain and relax the eyes: chamomile broth, cabbage, tincture of honey.

Still there is such variant as a potato mask. To make it, finely chop a couple of potatoes, evenly apply the resulting mass to gauze and attach it to your eyes for half an hour.

This mask will combine anti-inflammatory and analgesic functions.

Results of

If you are working in production or are just often in the welding area, you are at risk of getting a radiation eye burn. It is accompanied by redness, swelling, itching, growing pain.

It is important to take at this time first aid measures and not to take unnecessary actions, such as rinsing the eyes with running water or using the first eye drops.

Immediately deliver the patient to a doctor who will decide on further treatment. Do not use folk remedies before the relative healing of a burn, strictly follow the recommendations of representatives of official medicine.

The correct treatment consists in the combined use of drugs of various specializations, such as vasoconstrictive and anti-inflammatory drops and tablets, and in the implementation of timely procedures.

And do not forget about prevention - do not look in the direction of carrying out welding works even if you are far away, also remember that closing eyes can not always be effective, the most reliable way to avoid a burn is to turn away from the operating device.

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