Arc Eye

This leaflet aims to support verbal information given to you from the treating nurse practitioner or doctor. 

What is arc eye? 

This is a condition caused by looking at ultraviolet (UV) light e.g. from a welding arc, a sun lamp, or light reflected from snow without the use of protective goggles or a face shield. 

This causes superficial burning to the front surface of the eye (cornea) and occasionally the eyelids. 

Symptoms usually occur 6-10 hours following the incident. As the surface of the eye is very sensitive, it is a painful condition and can cause profuse watering and dislike of bright light. 

The burn will begin to heal within 24-48 hours without any long term complications. 

During examination the doctor will have put local anaesthetic drops into the eye. These will wear off over the next 30 minutes and the eye may become uncomfortable again. This is to be expected. 

They may also put a drop into your eye which causes your pupil to increase in size. This relaxes the muscles in your eye and reduces pain. However, this will also cause your vision to be blurred and you should not drive. 

What should you do? 

Take regular painkillers- Paracetamol and or Ibuprofen according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you are allergic to either of these or feel you have a medical reason for not taking them please inform the treating clinician or discuss with community pharmacist. 

It is advisable to allow your eyes to rest where possible. 

You may find it more comfortable to be in a darkened room or to wear sunglasses until symptoms resolve. 

Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until your vision has returned to normal. 

Return to the emergency department if: 

• Your symptoms have not improved within 48 hours 

or 

• Your eye has become more painful, red or vision become poorer. 

How to prevent this occurring. 

You should also avoid watching or assisting a welder without wearing adequate protection. 

To prevent damage to the cornea, wear protective eyeglasses that are coated to protect the cornea from ultraviolet light. 

The labels on the protective eyewear indicate the level of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) protection. 

Protective eyewear would include: 

• Sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB radiation 

• Ski goggles or 'glacier glasses', particularly at high elevations 

• Totally dark glasses for tanning beds 

• A welder's mask when welding.