How To Wear A Mask Without Fogging Up Your Glasses?
Given the circumstances that we’re living in at the moment, it’s no surprise to go about our daily activities wearing a mask. Whether we’re at the supermarket or taking our dogs out for a walk, wherever we go, the mask goes along too. Wearing a mask is now a common sight and along with it comes a new complaint: Wearing a mask fogs up our glasses.
Why do our glasses fog up when we wear a mask?
You might first be wondering why our glasses fog up when we put on a mask in the first place.
People who wear glasses experience the fogging when there is a sudden change of temperature, like stepping down from an air-conditioned bus and into the warm outdoor air. When we wear a mask, the warm and moist air that we exhale is escaping through the top edges and travelling to our glasses. This forms a layer of condensation on the cooler lens surface and hence, a foggy film.
This can cause our vision to blur which makes for a very annoying condition. Having to wear a mask out is already a chore, but for all of us wearing glasses, it’s another thing to worry about. The need to wipe your glasses every few minutes, especially if your hands are full, is definitely a struggle. Here, we have a few tips and tricks to help you resolve the problem.
How to wear a mask without fogging up your glasses?
1. Wash your glasses with soapy water
According to a published paper in 2011, washing your glasses with soapy water and allowing them to air-dry, or gently drying them with a soft tissue, can help. The soapy water leaves behind a thin surfactant film that stops the water molecules from forming droplets that causes the fog. This is a simple hack to try out just before you step out of the door.
2. Tape your mask down
You can seal the top of your mask around the bridge of your nose by taping it down with sports or medical tape. Do not use tape that is not meant to be on the skin and do test out the tape beforehand especially if you have sensitive skin. The tape will hold your mask down securely while preventing the warm breath from escaping through the top.
3. Mold your mask
Most surgical masks have a metal strip at the top to help you make sure that it is molded tightly to the bridge of your nose. This helps to direct exhaled breath away from your glasses. You can also add pipe cleaners or twist ties to your homemade fabric masks to achieve similar effects.
4. Tighten the mask
Adjust the ear loops to ensure that the mask fits snugly against your face. You can simply make a knot at the ear loops to make it tighter. Do not twist or criss-cross the ear loops as this will create a wide gap at the sides of the mask.
Now that you know these tips and tricks to stop your glasses from fogging, you have one less thing to worry about when you head outdoors today!
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