A welder protection device (10) comprising a shell (1) and a transparent front cover (2) for protection of a wearer of the welder protection device (10), and an auto-darkening optical filter. The welder protection device (10) further comprises a retracting mechanism (4) arranged to move the optical filter optical filter (3) from an active position to a retracted position and vice versa, wherein• in the active position the optical filter (3) lies inside the welder protection device (10) and in the wearers field of view, and• in the retracted position the optical filter (3) lies inside the welder protection device (10) and outside the wearers field of view.