Has anyone burned their eyes by looking at a UV bulb?

tkimmons85 · 07/23/2009, 04:02 PM

I know some of you right now are probably saying what an idiot I am. But I honestly didnt know. This is what happened. I bought a used coralife Turbo twist. Upon arriving home I disassembled the unit to do a closer inspection and a clean.

While looking at the bulb I turned the unit on for about 8-10 seconds. Long story short 6 hrs later my eyes began to itch. 3 hrs after that I was in the local ER with my eyes swollen shut and it felt like hot pokers were being jammed into my eye sockets.

The funny part was that the doc walked in and the first thing he said was, "you havent been working with a UV bulb lately have you" ?

He expalined that earlier that week two workers who were installing a UV light had recieved identical burns to there eyes that I had. He diagnosed my conditon as ACUTE IRITIS and sent me home with numbing drops and a eye sauve. He said that the injury is consistant with looking at the sun for a prolonged period of time or looking at a welders arch also for a period of time.

The eyes are back to normal and a definate lesson learned.

bishop82476 · 07/23/2009, 04:37 PM

yeah about a month ago i took the uv light out of my koi pond and put it in my pool as an experiment on algae. my eyes were burnt very bad as well

dennisdeng2002 · 07/23/2009, 06:15 PM

That happened to my friend also, though it wasn't that bad. What wattage of uv were you running?

tkimmons85 · 07/23/2009, 09:40 PM

just a 9 watt

KJAhp098 · 07/23/2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tkimmons85
I know some of you right now are probably saying what an idiot I am. But I honestly didnt know. This is what happened. I bought a used coralife Turbo twist. Upon arriving home I disassembled the unit to do a closer inspection and a clean.

While looking at the bulb I turned the unit on for about 8-10 seconds. Long story short 6 hrs later my eyes began to itch. 3 hrs after that I was in the local ER with my eyes swollen shut and it felt like hot pokers were being jammed into my eye sockets.

The funny part was that the doc walked in and the first thing he said was, "you havent been working with a UV bulb lately have you" ?

He expalined that earlier that week two workers who were installing a UV light had recieved identical burns to there eyes that I had. He diagnosed my conditon as ACUTE IRITIS and sent me home with numbing drops and a eye sauve. He said that the injury is consistant with looking at the sun for a prolonged period of time or looking at a welders arch also for a period of time.

The eyes are back to normal and a definate lesson learned.

Ha...(sorry) the exact same thing happened to me friend. His eyes started to itch and ended up in the ER with 2nd degree burns on his corneas. This was 2 days before he started his new full time job. I thought this happened only to him...guess not.

Frick · 07/23/2009, 10:12 PM

I've heard of a guy that made a DIY sterilizer, pointed it to the wall behind his tank so he would not see the leaking light directly. But now kitty cat has a hard time finding the litter box.

coral_lagoon · 07/26/2009, 01:57 AM

Wow just incredible. Now imagine what it does to Ich..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l6Q8Q1smwg

Mark426 · 07/26/2009, 08:32 AM

Sorry for what happened to you.... I hope you recover without any lasting damage...BUT.......................

luther1200 · 07/26/2009, 11:54 AM

Cut potatoes and put them on your eyes next time, seriously. It helps when you get a "flash" from looking at a welding torch. Which is similar so I would bet it would help.

JasonD · 07/26/2009, 11:36 PM

no but ive looked at my metal halide and have seen stars

tkimmons85 · 07/27/2009, 11:07 PM

Trust me I feel like an idiot. The worst part the ER I went to is the ER I always bring patients into while on duty with the fire dept. So all the nurses and the er doc knew me. They really took care of me but Im sure I'll get teased for a good while. Oh well its all good fun. The teasing that is.

07/23/2009, 04:02 PM	#1
tkimmons85 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Goodlettsville, Tn Posts: 722	Has anyone burned their eyes by looking at a UV bulb? I know some of you right now are probably saying what an idiot I am. But I honestly didnt know. This is what happened. I bought a used coralife Turbo twist. Upon arriving home I disassembled the unit to do a closer inspection and a clean. While looking at the bulb I turned the unit on for about 8-10 seconds. Long story short 6 hrs later my eyes began to itch. 3 hrs after that I was in the local ER with my eyes swollen shut and it felt like hot pokers were being jammed into my eye sockets. The funny part was that the doc walked in and the first thing he said was, "you havent been working with a UV bulb lately have you" ? He expalined that earlier that week two workers who were installing a UV light had recieved identical burns to there eyes that I had. He diagnosed my conditon as ACUTE IRITIS and sent me home with numbing drops and a eye sauve. He said that the injury is consistant with looking at the sun for a prolonged period of time or looking at a welders arch also for a period of time. The eyes are back to normal and a definate lesson learned.

07/23/2009, 10:12 PM	#6
Frick AZ FRAG President Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: TempE, AZ Posts: 4,312	I've heard of a guy that made a DIY sterilizer, pointed it to the wall behind his tank so he would not see the leaking light directly. But now kitty cat has a hard time finding the litter box. __________________ Jason Frick "Polyp Whisperer"

07/26/2009, 11:54 AM	#9
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	Cut potatoes and put them on your eyes next time, seriously. It helps when you get a "flash" from looking at a welding torch. Which is similar so I would bet it would help. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

07/23/2009, 04:37 PM	#2
bishop82476 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 41	yeah about a month ago i took the uv light out of my koi pond and put it in my pool as an experiment on algae. my eyes were burnt very bad as well

07/23/2009, 06:15 PM	#3
dennisdeng2002 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 57	That happened to my friend also, though it wasn't that bad. What wattage of uv were you running?

07/23/2009, 09:40 PM	#4
tkimmons85 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Goodlettsville, Tn Posts: 722	just a 9 watt

07/26/2009, 01:57 AM	#7
coral_lagoon Pushrod Powered Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Down The Corkscrew , CA Posts: 1,263	Wow just incredible. Now imagine what it does to Ich.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l6Q8Q1smwg

07/26/2009, 08:32 AM	#8
Mark426 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,479	Sorry for what happened to you.... I hope you recover without any lasting damage...BUT.......................

07/26/2009, 11:36 PM	#10
JasonD Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,079	no but ive looked at my metal halide and have seen stars

07/27/2009, 11:07 PM	#11
tkimmons85 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Goodlettsville, Tn Posts: 722	Trust me I feel like an idiot. The worst part the ER I went to is the ER I always bring patients into while on duty with the fire dept. So all the nurses and the er doc knew me. They really took care of me but Im sure I'll get teased for a good while. Oh well its all good fun. The teasing that is.