Yvonne Glasgow
Face masks are now a staple in our wardrobes, but they’re frustrating to wear for those of us with glasses. If you’re still battling the fog, there are some things you can try.
Pick the Right Mask
When it comes to the “right” mask for an eyeglass wearer, it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the other masks but simply that certain mask designs work better when you’re dealing with eyewear. You want something that fits more snuggly at the top of your face and has a little extra space at the bottom. The snug fit around your nose keeps your breath from coming out to fog up your glasses. Instead, it moves into the lower area of the mask and out through the fabric instead of blasting your glass.
Unfortunately, not all masks come with a fitted nose or a metal strip that allows you to fit it snuggly. However, it’s pretty easy (even if you’re not super crafty) to put in a piece of wire to any of your favorite masks. Here’s a video with simple instructions for using ribbon and pipe cleaner to make a better-fitted mask:
How You Wear It Matters
Even if you don’t have a fitted mask, there are some things you can do with the “fit” or with the way you wear it to keep your glasses from fogging up. Two things you can do include:
Fold the Top Over
If your mask has enough material, you can put a fold in the top to add a “pocket” where more of your breath will get cut instead of coming out the top to fog up your glasses. Some people add a folded up piece of tissue or paper towel across the top of the mask to absorb moisture if the folding trick isn’t possible.
Pull the Mask Up Higher
The trick I use is to pull my mask up a little higher so I can place my glasses over the mask, which creates a fitted nose even on my loosest fashion masks. The only problem I’ve found with this trick is that when I talk a lot, the mask sometimes slides up into my eyes or slides down, out from under my glasses.
Put a Coating On Your Lenses
The tips I got from friends for keeping fogging down when I needed to leave the house included using hand or dish soap on my glasses or using shaving cream. The glycerin in soap and shaving cream puts a protective coating on your lenses that keep them from fogging up. You rub some on, then rinse it lightly with water, leaving the film of glycerin behind. But does it work?
While some folks have said this works, this video tells a different story. My problem with this trick is that I wash my eyeglasses multiple times a day and am annoyed by even the smallest speck of dust on my glasses. As soon as I clean them again, the temporary coating the soap provides is gone.
Swimmers use anti-fog spray on their goggles, so this may be worth a try to keep your glasses from fogging while wearing a mask. Anti-fog spray minimizes the surface tension on your glasses, and works better than soap or shaving cream (possibly because your soap and shaving cream have extra ingredients, like moisturizers, that just smudge up the lenses).
The trick that worked best for me was wearing my mask under my glasses, but everyone will have a different experience. It may be worth investing in some anti-fog spray (or picking the right soap).
