Can you wear glasses under your welding helmet?

You are a welder or may be thinking of making your career as a welder, right. Hence, your welding experience depends mainly on your vision during the process. However, a welding helmet is the best companion for a welder.

You may be thinking wearing only a safety helmet or an auto-darkening helmet can work for your eyesight. No, in most cases, you must need extra care for your eye.

Here comes the question, is it really needed to wear a set of glass under a welding helmet? Can you wear glasses under them?

Well, this article describes your query about wearing glasses under your helmet.

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

Can you wear glasses under your welding helmet?

You can wear a piece of safety glass under your helmet. It is not only merely our statement. Rather, even helmet manufacturers come with the recommendation for you that you need to wear a set of safety glasses that are approved for safe welding.

Some welders wear sunglasses for an extra layer of shade, some prefer safety goggles and others may use shade 5 glasses.

Whatever you choose, the main objective comes to saving your eyesight while welding.

Why wear glasses under your helmet?

Your eyesight is very important, it is your greatest treasure from mother nature. You will surely never want to lose them or harm them just for your carelessness while working.

A piece of extra glass under your helmet can be a life-saving one.

Let’s see its importance.

It gives you additional safety.
Strengthens your personal protection during work.
Prevents your eyes by not exposing them to the hazardous environment of welding.
Protects eyes from exposure to bright light by providing multiple layers of eye protection.

As you can see, your eyes need a pair of glasses as an extra protector under your helmet. You must wear them underneath the helmet.

What will happen if you avoid wearing glasses under your helmet?

If you are still thinking or considering the fact that you need not use any glasses under your helmet, then you should go through this for your reconsideration.

Your glasses will be used as multiple layers of protection for your eyesight. You may not use them or use only a helmet for your work purpose. Hence, several phenomena can occur due to that.

The danger of Photokeratitis

Photokeratitis is a painful condition of the eye that may occur if proper eye protection is not taken during welding. This condition is very commonly known by welders as they may face it during their welding career. It will create pain and burn in the eye commonly known to welders as snow blindness.

It affects the cornea of your eye and the conjunctiva of your eye. This creates irritation and can be a painful one for you. This problem is not permanent, you have to take proper treatment and avoid bright lights for some time.

Be aware of Cataracts

If your eyes are not protected properly while welding, it may create smoky eyesight. The symptom is that your vision gets clouded and your prescription for wearing eyewear changes frequently, the sensitivity of light increases which may be very alarming for your eyesight.

This phenomenon is known as cataracts, although if they occur, once can be removed by having proper surgery. How helpful for you to wear a pair of glasses under your helmet to avoid this condition!

Exposure to UV and IR light may cost you

During welding, you may be exposed to UV light and IR light. Moreover, due to this, your eyesight can be very much affected in the long run of your welding career. Your eyesight may be severely damaged or infected in the future which you will never expect.

By this time, you are sure to be convinced about the importance of wearing glasses under your helmet for better protection of your eye.

How to wear glasses under a helmet?

Wearing a pair of glasses under your welding helmet is very easy. You may be considering wearing reading glasses or safety goggles or you may select shade 5 glasses. Whatever you choose, you just need to check whether it fits comfortably under your helmet while wearing it.

There are various types of glasses of various sizes. You have to trail them and see whether it fits perfectly while wearing your helmet. That’s it, you are ready to work then.

Wearing prescribed glasses under the helmet

Well, you may be a person with poor eyesight and need prescribed glasses to have normal vision. This is a tricky one to solve. Worry not, we can give you the best suggestion here.

You probably will need an extra magnifying for your welding. You can put your regular prescribed glasses and use extra reading glasses on top and see whether it works for you. You can give a try 1.5 or 1.25 diopter glasses with some extra money.

Conclusion:

We know you love your eyesight and will surely take care of them. For this purpose, you will agree that wearing a pair of glasses under your helmet can be helpful.

Yes, you can wear glasses under your helmet and this doesn’t require much hardship. Surely, it will help you in the long run of your welding career by saving your valuable eyesight.