Wearing masks in public has become an important good citizen thing to do to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Most people feel it is a good way to protect one another to simply mask up rather than risk the further spreading the deadly COVID-19 virus. While getting used to masks didn’t take that long, wearing glasses with your mask is easy to do. What do you do when you need to wear your glasses and your mask and you find they are fogging up? Instead of accepting the foggy view, use the same tips on how to not fog up glasses while wearing a mask that medical professionals use so their glasses don’t fog up when wearing a mask.
Use a Well-Fitting Mask
When it comes to how to not fog up glasses while wearing a mask, the fit is a good place to start. A mask should sit on the bridge of your nose when properly fitted, not on the tip of your nose. If your mask has a thin adjustable bendable strip in it, you can bend this to mold the nose piece over the bridge of your nose. Even if your mask does not have a built-in bendable nose piece the mask should swoop up towards the bridge of your nose and not sit too low or have wide gaps at the top that allow you breath to fog the glasses.
SwaddleDesigns 3-layer Chambray style masks include a bendable plastic nose piece so you can mold the mask close to your face for a snug fit. Swaddle Designs 2-layer cotton flannel mask is contoured to the bridge of your nose. You can use the nose supports of your glasses to hold the contoured tip down firm to your nose, and the mask swoops down below the rims of your glasses to help prevent glass fog. If your glasses have large frames, you can place the frames on top of the mask.
Some people prefer one option over the other and if you wear glasses you may want to try both to learn which design works best for you.
Use the Folded Tissue Trick
To help eliminate the fogged-up glasses issue while wearing a mask, do what doctors and nurses have used for years. Fold a tissue into a small rectangle and lay it horizontally across the bridge of your nose under your mask. Second, try placing the rim of your glasses over the mask, not under it.
Another option regarding how to not fog up glasses while wearing a mask is to use a bit of hypoallergenic tape, but that is really a last resort, however, sometimes used by healthcare professionals.
Use Soapy Water to “Treat” Glasses
Another option to help reduce fogging while wearing a mask is to treat your glasses to a soapy wash before you put them on. The idea is to wash your lenses with warm soapy water and rinse them just enough to leave a bit of soap behind. This thin layer of residue is said to create a barrier from temperature-related fogging.
Try an Anti-fog Spray
There are anti-fog sprays that are safe for use on glasses. There are even anti-fogging wipes if you prefer that method over sprays. These solutions create a temporary coating on the lenses to prevent fogging. It should be noted that this option contains chemicals and you should always use caution when using such items. Never spray the glasses with anti-fogging spray while you are wearing the glasses. It should also be noted that some people are more sensitive than others to chemicals and may experience eye irritation as a result so make sure you test it out at home the first time rather than when you are about to drive.
Adjust Glasses After Putting on Mask
If you are wearing your glasses and then put on your mask, that may be the problem. You should put your mask on and then your glasses because it will allow you to more easily adjust the glasses based on where the mask sits. If you can pull your glasses down slightly so they are lower on the bridge of your nose and overlapping the fabric of the mask, you may eliminate the fogging problem. When trying this method, make sure you can still see properly through your lenses, especially if you have trifocal lenses. This method may take some getting used to, but it is a doable way to get rid of the fog effect of wearing glasses and a mask.
Consider Contacts
The fact of the matter is that face masks are here to stay for quite a while, maybe even a couple years while we wait for a vaccine. If the fogged up glasses bother you, consider contact lenses. This problem would eliminate the glasses altogether for one less thing to worry about.
To recap, it’s best to find a well-fitting mask and ensure placement of your mask is correctly positioned on your face. SwaddleDesigns masks make that easy to do so your glasses won’t fog up.