I worked as a welder for a while, but thankfully it’s something I’ve never experiencedYou may have a very mild dose of it but it doesn't sound like you need to be too worried. You'll definitely know if you ever get a full dose of it.
That shouldn't cause a "flash" or arc-eye, as even the undarkened screen will filter out the UV.Thought I'd got a case of it last Saturday, had been welding fine, then stopped and restarted. Battery cover had come loose and batteries not making proper contact meant auto darkening didn't. Welded for a few seconds thinking 'why is that so bright?' Before I realised. Eye felt 'scratchy' all evening and was expecting it to get worse but glad to say on Sunday all was back to normal. Lucky escape.
. . . combined with someone rubbing them with a rough flannel that has been soaked in a strong soap/shampoo solution . . .Arc eye feels like someone blew dry sand in your eyes . . .
If you haven't already make sure you've got some good ventilation, extraction or mask, or all of them combined, the fumes are no good for your longterm healthI’ve not done any welding for years, so it could be the smoke fumes.