How to wear a face mask without fogging up your glasses?

Wearing a mask or other face-covering during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may interfere with breathing, speaking, and people admiring your beautiful face. Besides, who wants to talk through a face mask? And how do you deal with an awkward interaction when trying to show friendliness to people passing by? In the words of Coco Briscoe, Trusted Source When Face Masks Hide Your Smile and Other Emotions. The New York Times Go to Source ¹ a comedian in Los Angeles, it’s like you’re both staring at each other, and you’re smiling, only they can’t see that you’re smiling or sticking out your tongue at them. But wearing a mask alongside social distancing and hand hygiene helps keep ourselves and the community safe. Trusted Source How to Protect Yourself & Others Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to Source ² While face masks are crucial during the pandemic and increasingly become an essential part of our wardrobes, those with glasses have experienced an annoying phenomenon. Put the two items on your face and make them work together; the result will be fogged glasses every time you exhale, Argh!

Why do glasses fog-up in the first place? Our glasses fog up when warm breath escapes from the top of our mask and hits the cooler lens of the glasses. Trusted Source 7 ways to avoid foggy glasses when wearing a face mask. All About Vision Go to Source ³ The process is similar to when you open the oven, drink a hot tea or coffee, or even work out.

With this global pandemic and all its implications to worry about right now, the last thing we need is a steam room effect on our glasses and bump into light poles, grocery carts, or unsuspecting displays of Hot Cheetos.

If you have a good vision without glasses or wear contacts, more power to you. As for the rest of us, let’s look at a few tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) to help maintain a fog-free view on our glasses: Trusted Source How to Wear a Face Mask Without Fogging Your Glasses... American Academy of Ophthalmology Go to Source ⁴

Tighten the fit of the mask

If the mask does not fit tightly on your face, the moisture from your breath heads towards the eyes, causing the glasses to fog up. A mask that fits your face snugly is less likely to fog the glasses. If possible, tighten the sides of your mask for a good fit.

Patrick Shaw, an Optical Shop manager at the John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, suggested twisting the loops once and putting them over your ears (forming a figure eight when viewed from the side). And if the mask has a wire inside the top edge, pinch it over the bridge of your nose to fit comfortably. Trusted Source Tips for Avoiding Foggy Eyeglasses When You Wear Your... University of Utah Health Go to Source ⁵

Try using medical or athletic tape to close the gap between the bridge of your nose and the top of your mask.

Rest your glasses over your mask

Pull your mask up high on your nose, and rest your glasses on top of it. Doing so will help secure the fit and prevent the warm breath puffed out the top of the mask. Make sure that your mask still fits properly over your face. Unless you’re a goldfish, your mask should entirely cover your nose and mouth.

Wipe your lenses before wearing them

Before slipping on a face mask, wash your glasses gently with soapy water, then let it air dry or dry your glasses using a soft lens cloth (do not use your t-shirt, no matter how tempting it may be). Stay away from harsh chemical products like baby shampoo, toothpaste, or shaving creams; Trusted Source 7 ways to avoid foggy glasses when wearing a face mask. All About Vision Go to Source ⁶ and definitely don’t use spit.

Anti Fog Lenses

This is not a quick fix for your foggy-lens problem, but if you’re looking for new glasses, you might consider buying lenses with an anti-fog coating. As the name implies, an anti-fog coating may be a hassle-free answer to your foggy lenses, regardless of whether the obstructed vision is by a face mask or something else. Trusted Source 7 ways to avoid foggy glasses when wearing a face mask. All About Vision Go to Source ⁷

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