How to Prevent Foggy Glasses While Masking
Two years into this pandemic, there’s a nagging nuance troubling millions of Americans – how to stop their eyeglasses from fogging while wearing a mask to prevent the transmission of illness.
What should you adjust? Your mask? Your glasses? Your breathing?
Instead of making light of a problem so many people experience daily, we feel it’s worth investigating how to avoid your glasses fogging up while trying to remain safe.
What Causes My Glasses to Mist?
Warm air flow and body heat lead to foggy lenses.
When wearing a face mask and repeatedly exhaling, warm air can sneak out of the top of your mask and cause lenses to mist and obstruct vision.
Unfortunately, a face mask directs considerable warm air upward when you exhale.
Foggy lenses occur when warm water vapor lands on cooler lenses, producing tiny droplets that scatter light and obstruct vision.
Here are a handful of suggestions to consider to reduce moisture on your eyeglasses while masking.
1. Make Sure the Mask Fits Well
Loosely fitted masks aim your breathing directly toward your glasses, causing them to fog. But a well-fitting mask directs air out its bottom or side and away from your glasses.
To achieve a better fit:
- Wear masks with foldable nosepieces, like metal strips.
- Buy a range of masks that come in several sizes. For example, the Korean-made KF94 masks are available in small and large.
Correctly fitting masks that fit snugly around your nose bridge will help reduce hot air escaping from the top and reaching your lenses.
If you craft a DIY cloth mask, create a seal by inserting a moldable item into the uppermost part of the mask to cling to your nose. Many find pipe cleaners or twist ties are excellent household items to accomplish this.
2. Wash the Lenses With Soapy Water
One study suggests trying these three steps before putting on your face mask:
- Wash your lenses with soapy water.
- Shake off any excess moisture.
- Let your glasses air dry or pass a clean microfiber cloth over them.
Cleaning your lenses with soapy water leaves a thin film to reduce surface tension and triggers water molecules into a transparent layer.
After this process, your glasses shouldn’t get foggy after breathing freely in your face mask.
3. Try De-Fogging Products
Applying anti-fogging gels, waxes, and sprays to your lenses before putting your glasses on can quickly disperse tiny fog droplets while wearing a mask. However, body chemistry could be a factor, and you may need some trial and error to find one that works.
Don’t use products designed for cars or other purposes because the chemical ingredients may ruin your expensive prescription glasses.
4. Consider Anti-Fog Lenses
Though this solution won’t immediately clear your fogged lenses, you could consider buying lenses with an anti-fog coating, like Optifog lenses.
This specialized coating is a hassle-free option to avoid foggy lenses, regardless of whether your issues result from wearing a mask or other factors.
See More Clearly With Our Solutions
To schedule an eye exam or learn more about laser vision correction, contact Will Vision and Laser Centers today.