Foggy Eyeglasses: How to avoid them while wearing a face mask?

While face masks help us steer clear of accidentally transmitting coronavirus, millions of eyeglass wearers are already discovering the annoyance caused by mask-induced foggy eyeglasses and lenses. With the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommending face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19, fogged-up glasses or foggy eyeglasses are a problem that is “affecting a large chunk of the population.”

Why are my glasses foggy?

When you put on a face mask, you frequently exhale warm air. This body heat and airflow will eventually lead to foggy lenses. The air can then sneak out of the top of your mask and cloud over your glasses. The side effect here is that it makes it worse to see. Also, a face mask steers much of the exhaled air upwards. 

Ways to stay away from foggy eyeglasses

Here are some excellent tips for you to lift the fog from your foggy eyeglasses whenever you wear a mask:

1. Wash lenses with soapy water

Studies say that before slipping on a face mask, you should wash your eyeglass lenses with soapy water and get rid of the surplus moisture. Then, let your glasses air dry or gently dry the lenses with a dirt-free microfiber cloth. Using this method, the lenses shouldn’t fog up once you put on the mask and glasses. To avoid damage, never clean your lenses with products like baby shampoo, toothpaste or shaving cream.

2. Seal the mask

A general trick employed by doctors involves glueing a piece of double-sided tape across the bridge of the nose before putting on a mask.

3. Make sure the mask fits well

A loose-fit mask lets exhaled air go in the direction of your glasses. However, a well-fitted mask can fire that air out of the bottom or sides of the mask. If you’ve designed your cloth mask, then make a seal around the nose. You can do it by inserting a ductile item into the mask’s upper region. It can be a paper clip, twist tie, pipe cleaner or folded piece of aluminium foil.

4. Try de-fogging products

Applying over-the-counter anti-fogging sprays, waxes and gels to your lenses before putting on your glasses can fast diffuse tiny fog droplets when you’re wearing a mask. Some even work better with different body chemistry; so you may need to try a few brands to know which one works best for you. Safeguard against using anti-fogging products intended for cars or other purposes, as they might spoil your prescription lenses.

5. Breathe downward

Though it sounds awkward, breathing downward can be an immediate anti-fog fix. This hack will whiff the air away from your glasses. Sounds better said than done? You may also ask how I breathe downward. Just hold your upper lip over your lower lip. Then blow the air downwards like you’re playing the flute. It will help you get away with this hack. So, next time you wear a face mask with foggy eyeglasses, remember to follow these tips and save yourself from blurry discomfort.