in world war one, why might soldiers have been blind after battle? could it be from a gas attack?

Answer 1

Your question is a touch vague -- are you asking about temporary blindness, or permanent blindness?

Mustard agent used on the battlefields causes severe conjunctivitis, resulting in blepharospasm -- the involuntary closing of the eyes due to extreme irritation -- and prolonged exposure could cause extreme vesication and destruction of the sensitive tissues of the eyes. But most persons with ocular exposure to sulfur mustard recovered with no permanent loss of vision.

But there are plenty of other reasons for blindness -- traumatic injury to the eyes, even psychosomatic blindness (did you see "Band of Brothers", and the story about the one soldier (was it Blythe?) with the psychotic blindness?

Answer 2

It was thought to be believed that Axis Germany invented the first weapon of destruction. It was known to the Allies as "Mustard Gas" it was in a bomb form that quite didnt have the "boom" as other bombs. It was yellow gas that drifted into the trenches and made soldiers tear and become blind. It also ruined airways and if the dose was high enough producced blood.
Some soldiers it is reported, that in the hight of combat become temporary blind by the stress of combat.

Answer 3

Mustard gas can blind you. But more often than not it was normal wounds that blinded a man from bullets to fragments. The main killer in WW1 was artillery fire. Mustard gas is a blistering agent that burns all the wet areas of your body like your lungs and eyes. this is only made worse if you try to rub your eyes as some poor fools did.

Answer 4

Might be Mustard gas and phosgene gas have been known to cause severe nerve damage.

Answer 5

A flashbang could blind you...Or seening a nuclear explosion. A grenade blowing up getting in your eyes...Anything could have happened.

Answer 6

Gas, shrapnel, all sorts of things.