Another foggy day? Wear your mask and see clearly, too!
Posted by: Pepose Vision Institute in Pepose Info on November 2, 2020
You wear your glasses for fashion. Or perhaps you wear your glasses because you can’t see without them. Regardless of the reason, you’ve probably managed to find a way to wear your glasses comfortably.
Then masks happened.
Now you have to put two items on your face and make them work together as you run errands or take on a workday. Argh!
We’re already dealing with the pressures of a pandemic. We don’t need foggy glasses on top of everything else, right?
Why do glasses fog up in the first place?
Here’s the simple science behind it: Think about how your glasses fog up when you walk into a warm building after being out in the cold. The same thing happens with a mask. When your warm breath escapes through the top of the mask, it hits the lenses of your glasses and causes them to fog up.
What can you do to prevent this from happening? Here are a few helpful ideas:
Make sure your mask fits right.
Make sure your mask fits securely over the nose. A mask with a nose bridge or nose clamp will keep your breath from escaping up to your glasses. You can also buy masks that can be shaped to fit the face.
Just add soap and water.
With this technique, you simply wash your lenses with soapy water and shake off the excess liquid. You can allow your lenses to air dry or gently wipe them off with a soft cloth before wearing your glasses again.
Why does this method work? The soap leaves behind a thin film that acts as a fog barrier. Because your glasses can be a major investment, especially if you have special coatings on your lenses, check with your eye doctor before trying this hack so you don’t ruin them. Same goes for using shaving cream, baby shampoo or toothpaste instead of soap.
Use your glasses to seal the top of your mask.
If you can pull your mask up higher on your nose, you can use your glasses to seal it and shape it to your face. Just place your glasses right on top of the material that’s over your nose and make sure they don’t slide off. A secure fit will keep the warm air from escaping through the top of the mask.
Tape it down.
This might come in handy if you’re looking for more of a set it and forget it approach. You can tape your mask down around the bridge of your nose and to your cheeks with sports or medical tape. Don’t use duct tape or tape that wasn’t made to be used on the skin
Try commercial anti-fog products.
If nothing seems to be working for you, there are wipes and sprays out there that are designed to tackle foggy glasses. Before trying one, make sure the ingredients won’t damage any protective coatings on your lenses.
Wear your mask. Ditch your glasses.
Explore Pepose Vision Institute’s vast array of vision correction procedures to reduce or eliminate your need for glasses. No matter your age, we have a solution customized to your unique lifestyle needs. Schedule your safe, private consultation by calling 636-728-0111 or requesting your appointment online.
Article Courtesy of Cleveland Clinic, HealthEssentials, May 12, 2020
