Warnings From My Own Foolishness

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360Youth

360Youth

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Newport, NC
I am back to work today after a co-worker and I did some work at a waste water plant on UV lights. We were there to replace the lamp covers on a set of UV lights for the plant.

Not the same light, but very similar.
uvlight.jpg


Anyway, that was Wednesday morning. Went to bed that night and my eyes started to burn. The short story is that I made it through an agonizing night thinking allergies or something was driving me crazy and got a call the next morning from co-worker asking how my night was? He ended up in the ER diagnosed with UV burn to the eyes. We are both better but I wanted to pass on info I feel like I should have already known. I have never worked around these lights and although I know the dangers of UV exposure I did not associate the potential harm with these particular lights. Thankfully I do not think there is any real or permanent damage, but it has been a very unplesant 36 hours, and little scary, too. Just a friendly warning for those that may share my lack of knowledge or common sense. :smile: :wink: Be careful.
 
Glad your seeing better Thom. I have heard of eye burn from welding flash but not uv light. Thanks for the warning
 
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/corneal_flash_burns/article_em.htm

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/corneal_flash_burns/article_em.htm

Corneal Flash Burns Overview

Eyes, particularly the cornea (the clear window of tissue on the front of the eyeball), can be easily damaged by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from other sources of ultraviolet light, such as a welder's arc, a photographer's flood lamps, a sun lamp, or even a halogen desk lamp.

The cornea takes the brunt of the damage if proper eye protection is not worn, such as dark glasses or goggles while skiing in bright sun. A corneal flash burn (also called ultraviolet [UV] keratitis) can be considered to be a sunburn of the eye surface.

* The cornea covers the iris (the colored part of the eye), focuses light on the retina, and protects deeper structures of the eye by acting like a windshield to the eye. The corneal surface consists of cells similar to those in the skin. The cornea is normally clear.

* Corneal damage from a corneal flash burn or from a disease may cause pain, changes in vision, or loss of vision.
 
dont worry i probably would of done the same thing. those UV lights are those those germicidal lamps? i suppose sunglasses that are designed to block UV light will protect our eyes
 
UV radiation kills bacteria, molds, fungus and viruses in the water so it actually causes cellular disruption on a molecular level. In severe cases it can cause damage to the retina and blindness.
 
This very same thing has happened/ can happen when the outer glass of a metal halide lamp is broken and the lamp continues to operate.

This is why metal halide lamps in open fixtures are now required to be of the "O" type which have the thick glass containment barrier around the arc tube.
 
ishium 80439 said:
Would regular sunglasses have been protection enough or is there some other specialty goggle that would be needed?
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You need UV-specific eye protection. Sunglasses can actually be worse than nothing. The iris responds to visible light, and sunglasses cause the iris to open, allowing more of every wavelength to enter the eye.
 
peter d said:
This very same thing has happened/ can happen when the outer glass of a metal halide lamp is broken and the lamp continues to operate.
Click to expand...
High-wattage halogen bulbs, too.
 
I'm some what surprised that the maintenance dept (or whom ever put you to work in their own known danger area) didn't fill you in first or provide protective equip...

Dang, that's even more scary:-?

Jim
 
S'mise said:
Glad your seeing better Thom. I have heard of eye burn from welding flash but not uv light. Thanks for the warning
Click to expand...

For what it is worth. I have had my eyes burned from welding with a crack in the lens. You can take a raw potato, cut it in half and place it on your eyes. It will "draw" the burn out. What ever is in the potato will sooth the burn and take away that sand in the eyes feeling.
 
Thanks for the heads up. I'll pass it on.

I have done the welding thing. About midnight I woke up and spent five minutes trying to wash sand out of my eyes until I realized that I'd been helping someone weld that day.
 
I feel your pain brother. I had welders flash twice now and yes very very painful. Gallons of water drained from my eyes and it felt like buckets of sand had been trhown into each of them. Heard something from an old timer and it works you will all laugh but when your in that much pain you will try anything he said cut a potato in half and place each half over each eye. Believe me fellows may sound weird and your friends will call you potato head but it works fellows.:grin:
 
Not only can you get your retina's burned, you can also get sunburn on your skin.

Thanks for the heads-up - it will be something I'll not mentally - but I can see where it's very easy to overlook the dangers.
 
ishium 80439 said:
Would regular sunglasses have been protection enough or is there some other specialty goggle that would be needed?
Click to expand...

Look for a UV protection rating for the lenses. Regular cheap ol' sunglasses will NOT suffice!
 
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