Tig Welding Headache ?'s

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Hey guys im new to the site and had a few ?'s Well first off i work in a metal fab shop and i tig weld alum boxes together for various companies, the boxes range in sizes from shoe size boxes to 6 footers!! Anyways i have been trained/learning for about 2months now and i think im pretty damn good, well i have a good teacher....back to the topic, today i started getting a headache and my eyes were starting to get fuzzy, i had trouble seeing the puddle as im burning so i stopped and had to lay down for about an hour or so with some ice on my forehead...we have good ventilation so i wouldnt think it would be the fumes, i only got flashed once bc my sensei next to me started burnin and i caught it outta the corner of my eye. I do wear prescription glasses but im near sided so i can see thing in front of my face, they said maybe my eyes were strained from focusing on the puddle for such long periods, i do have a tendancy at getting up close and personal while i weld, if i get so close maybe i'll try takin off my specs bc my prescription is for seeing things far away and not up close, this make sense?
Reply:Hello DaBears1983, it is possible that you are close enough that you are breathing in excessive amounts of shielding gas. If that is the case, you are starving your system of necessary oxygen. One other possibility could involve the cleaning solvents that you are using for prepping the aluminum, if you are prepping it with any sort of solvent/cleaner. Some of these solvents/cleaners produce nasty and dangerous fumes when welded over. If any of the cleaning agents that you are using contain chlorinated solvents, DON'T use them, when they are subjected to a welding arc they can produce phosgene gas which is very toxic. These are a couple of my thoughts on what you have described, likely others may have additional comments for you. Stay safe and regards, Allanaevald
Reply:If I have to weld a lot of aluminum I will try yo wear a low profile resperator.  Just a regular P95 type.  It seems to help.  Another thing I have heard from an old timer, but not sure if it works is; Argon is heavier than air, so it settles in your lungs.  If you hang upside down for a little while and do deep breaths, he said you will purge your lungs.