Welding can be defined as a process of joining metal parts using molten metal produced at the joint either by heat and/or pressure. Welders, especially in developing countries, are an important occupational group due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Welding processes result in the generation of toxic gases and fumes such as aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, monoxide, fluorine and nitrogen oxide which could be harmful to the eyes. According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (2011), certain types of ultraviolet radiation can produce a lesion on the surface and mucous membrane of the eye called “arc eye” or welder's eye. In addition to UV rays, visible light and infrared radiation are also emitted during the welding process. This visible light can prevent the iris from closing sufficiently and quickly to limit the brightness of light reaching the retina, leading to time blindness and eye fatigue. Repeated exposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of pterygium, pinguecula, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration as well as eyelid degeneration such as squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'?Get the original essayAjaiyeoba and Scott (2002) studied the risk factors associated with eye diseases and observed that welders were particularly at risk eye injuries that can lead to blindness because their job involves exploiting energy resources capable of producing high temperatures. The most common eye disorders reported among welders are arc eye injury, pterygium, conjunctivitis, foreign body sensation, persistent tearing after pictures. Various protective devices such as safety glasses, face shields and helmet are used by welders. The importance of protective devices cannot be underestimated in promoting good health at work as well as reducing the impact of occupational hazards among welders. Work-related injuries are considered largely preventable, particularly if adequate eye protection is used and appropriate machine guards are positioned above obvious hazards. Additionally, these protective devices must be equipped with the correct type of filter lens. Welding filters placed on personal protective equipment are available in different optical densities (shade numbers) depending on the type of welding being performed. Despite high levels of awareness of workplace hazards and the availability of personal eye protection (PPE), the majority of welders use their protective devices from time to time, while few rarely use them. A study carried out by Kayode et al. (2013) revealed that 64.9% of welders had poor knowledge of the health effects of welding smoke. Ganesh et al (2013) studied the knowledge, awareness and use of eye protection devices of 209 welders and reported that 83.3% of them were more aware of hazards than safety measures. Ineffective devices such as sunglasses have been considered protective and used as personal protective devices by some welders. These above findings led to the need to assess the level of awareness and use of protective devices.