Key Takeaways
- The fog happens because warm breath escapes upward from a loose mask and hits the cooler lens surface, simple science but really annoying.
- Getting your mask to fit snugly around your nose bridge is honestly the most effective fix before trying anything else.
- Washing your glasses with soapy water right before heading out creates a thin film that stops fog from forming on the lens.
- Taping the top of your mask to your nose with medical tape sounds a bit extreme but it works surprisingly well.
- Pulling your mask higher and letting your glasses rest on top of it to seal the gap is a quick fix that takes about two seconds.
- Anti-fog sprays work similarly to the soapy water trick, just check the ingredients first to make sure they’re safe for your lenses.
Stepping out of the home without wearing glasses is threatening while stepping out of the home without wearing a face mask amid this pandemic is life-threatening.
It has become a real-life struggle for some of the glass wearers to wear both mandatory items on their face as they run errands or go out for work. Managing glasses alone was an uphill battle and now wearing a mask is adding more to the inconvenience.
What is Causing the Trouble?
The warm breathe lands up on your cooler lenses of glasses and creates a fog, this simple science is causing additional inconvenience to the poor glass wearers.
The current situation is inescapable, wearing prescription glasses and the mask is also inescapable but the good news is, the struggle is escapable. Yes, foggy glasses can be eliminated.
Phew! A ray of hope.
The way you learned to live with glasses, probably you need to learn to live with a mask too (at least till the Coronavirus threat gets knocked out). Here’s how you can save your glasses from clouding your vision.
Ways to prevent your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask
Tighten the Fit of the Mask
First of all, tighten the fit of the mask doesn’t mean suffocating yourself. It should be of right fit. If the mask isn’t tight enough around the nose bridge, the breath flowing upward may cause glasses fogging up.
Medical masks generally come with a metal strip which contours to your nose and cheeks thus giving a right fit. However, for regular use, the public has been advised to wear a cloth mask. If it’s adjustable try tightening it or else you can make it better by stitching pipe cleaners into the top so that it gets shaped to your nose and stays fit. You can also try sewing a twist tie.
Tape the Mask
Another DIY solution to prevent glasses from fogging is taping the mask. It’s a handy approach, you just need a medical tape or an athletic tape. Actually, even a band-aid will do.
Tape the mask across the bridge of your nose and cheeks, that’s it, the mask will fit properly without causing the glasses to fog up.
AVOID!
– Do not use duct tape, packing tape or silver-fix-all tape as it is not meant to be used on the skin.
– Also if your skin is sensitive, do not directly use tape on the face. Test the tape on a different body part and ensure if it is not causing irritation.
Wash Your Glasses With Soap and Water
It is a trick suggested by many surgeons and doctors – “Immediately before wearing the mask, wash your glasses with soap and water and get rid of the excess.”
Now, gently wipe it with a soft cloth or air dry it. The glasses are likely to not become foggy. However, just make sure it suits your glasses or else you will end up ruining it.
How Does This Trick Work?
The soap forms a thin film upon the glasses, the water molecules evenly spread into the transparent layer. This acts as the anti-fog coating.
NO SPITTING! Do not use saliva for cleaning the glasses
It is not only unhygienic but is strictly discouraged due to the outbreak of COVID-19. You should avoid anything that can likely lead to spread of the virus or moisten your mask.
Anti-Fog Lens Coating or Spray
If nothing else turns out in your favour then it is better to use the anti-fog spray on your eyeglass lenses. Most of the swimmers use this on their goggles to prevent misty vision. It actually works as the soapy water.
But before trying, just ensure the ingredients of the spray does not adversely affect your eyeglasses. Read the ingredients as well as the product reviews before using it.
Prepare for salvation as there is another effective anti-fog solution. You can opt for an anti-fog lens coating that will defog your vision when wearing a mask.
One More DIY Easy Hack :
Just pull up your mask. Yes, just pull up the mask higher on your nose and seal the top of your mask with the glasses. Wear the glasses in such a way that the upper portion of the mask gets underneath the glasses and takes the shape of your nose and prevent your mask from sliding off. Probably most of you must be already doing this trick.
After staying at home from months together, finally, when you step out, you would definitely wish to see around everything clearly. Fogging-up of glasses can be real trouble. Well, some of these simple tricks worked in the emergency rooms, so certainly it would work in your day-to-day life too.
FAQs
Q: Why do glasses fog up when wearing a mask in the first place?
When your mask isn’t sealed properly around the nose, warm breath escapes upward and hits the cooler surface of your lenses. That temperature difference is what creates the fog.
Q: What’s the quickest fix for foggy glasses?
Pulling your mask up higher and resting your glasses on top to seal the gap is probably the fastest solution. It takes no extra products and works pretty reliably.
Q: Does washing glasses with soap actually stop fogging?
It does, surprisingly well actually. The soap leaves a thin film on the lens that stops water molecules from clumping together and forming fog. Just wipe off the excess gently and let it dry.
Q: Can I tape my mask to my face to stop the fogging?
Yes, medical or athletic tape along the nose bridge works well. Just avoid duct tape or packing tape on your skin, and if you have sensitive skin, test it on your wrist first before putting it on your face.
Q: Can I apply antifog spray on my prescription glasses?
They are mostly okay, but always better to check the list of ingredients before using the product. Some prescription glasses have a coating or treatment on them that may interact poorly with some sprays, thus reading the label quickly could help prevent damaging them.
Q: The fabric mask keeps falling from my face and I get fogged up, what do I do?
If you add a wire or pipe cleaner to the top side of the mask, it will fit to your nose and won’t slip.
Q: Is saliva an okay quick fix for foggy lenses?
Definitely not, it’s unhygienic at the best of times and particularly something to avoid during any kind of respiratory illness concern. Stick to soapy water or a proper anti-fog solution instead.
