Do regular photogray prescription glasses darken when weldn?

Date 04-01-2008 12:50

I was wondering the same thing. I have a pair of "transitions" glasses at the house, maybe I'll take them in one day and wear em under my hood and see for you.... I wear contacts usually, but somedays my eyes and those contacts just don't get along. (yeah I know, you shouldn't wear them anyways, but they're what I can ACTUALLY SEE with)

I'll let you know.
Jenn

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-01-2008 13:01

I wear prescription transistions(both my safety glasses and regular glasses)...I haven't really noticed them darkening while under the hood. Maybe the shield does a good job filtering so that the glasses don't get darker?...I dunno.
Sunlight sure will get them to darken in a hurry, though.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 04-02-2008 04:27

My glasses are photo grey or somthing like that. They don't darken quickly, and they take a while to lighten up. I wear them for everything, the only time I mind them is when coming inside from the bright outdoors, or trying to look into a dark area in bright surroundings.

By Jeffrey Grady (***)

Date 04-03-2008 06:42

Jenn,
I have two pair of prescription glasses. One pair are no line bi-focals, I use them for reading ect. The other pair is a slightly tinted single vision type. I was thinking about getting transitions lenses, but i thought that if by some chance they would darken under my hood, that would hinder my ability to see my weld pool properly. I have two auto darkening hoods. i set the for the shade required fro the process i am performing at the time. I really wouldn't want to have a good bead running and then have my glasses start to darken the field of vision. Just my 2cents.
Respectfully, Jeffrey S. Grady

PS. great to have you on board!

By jrw159

Date 04-01-2008 13:41

try doing a search for "perscription glasses" or " safety glasses" as there was an interesting thread about this very subject.

By 803056

Date 04-02-2008 11:51

I wear transition lenses and they do darken somewhat while I'm welding or working with a welder. They respond to ultraviolet light, so the fact that they do darken somewhat indicates there is a limited amount of ultraviolet light in the area. I suspect the UV is reflected off the surfaces of the work, wall, ceiling, etc.

They do not darken sufficiently to protect your eyes while using a cutting torch, but they are most likely better than nothing. Now that I've said it, I have never qualified a brazer that wore protective goggles while brazing. It was one of those things that was taught as soon I learned to braze in high school, "always wear the proper filter lens for the work being done."

I often wonder how many of these people will develop cataracts at an early age because they didn't protect their eyes from the harmful rays and heat while they braze or use the cutting torch.

Best regards - Al

By jrw159

Date 04-02-2008 12:34

It is surely something to be concerned about. I am glad that I took care of my eyes, sometimes as a result of the prodding of a safety representitive, as they are one of my most valuable assets being an inspector.

By arrowside (**)

Date 04-02-2008 22:16

Jenn, the " not supposed to wear contacts while welding" is an urban legend. It's totally fine to wear them while welding.

By Jenn

Date 04-03-2008 13:53

That's good, because, I can't see as well with the glasses as I can with the contacts for some reason.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 04-03-2008 05:01

I learned to braze from My Grandpop, he was a machinist, and pretty darn good at brazing/braze welding [He didn't gas or electric weld at all]. There is a color change in the material that You can only see with the brazing goggles on that tells You when to add the filler. I have brazed with and without the goggles, but that color change helps make a neet job of it.