As we’re learning more about coronavirus, we’re also learning about how to best protect ourselves and others such as mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing. Among the necessary steps we’ve taken to curb the virus, we’ve adjusted to wearing our face masks in shops and public enclosed places. If you find wearing a mask uncomfortable and unpleasant spare a thought for those of us who wear glasses! If you wear glasses, it’s fairly likely that you will have noticed when wearing your mask your lenses fog up which only adds to the discomfort!
The reason behind why our glasses fog when we wear a mask is fairly simple. As we wear our masks, warm breath escapes from the top of the mask and lands on the cooler lenses of our glasses. When this happens, it creates tiny droplets or condensation, or fog.
The good news is that this problem is not new, and here are ways that we have found to be the most effective at keeping your glasses clear. We hope some of these tips will help you see clearer!
Use anti-fog wipe or spray. There are many different types on the market which work on different types of lenses so it can be tricky finding the right one for your glasses. Also, some anti-fog solutions may not be as affective on lenses with certain coatings, such as anti-glare, anti-fingerprint, or anti-smudge. We have tried and tested many brands and recommend Calosport as the most effective and can be purchased from your optician. Always clean your glasses with a clean microfiber cloth (i.e. the little cloth you get with your glasses or from your optician) which is best at removing grime and smudges.
It is worth noting that several home remedies such as soap, shaving foam, shampoo, etc have been doing the rounds. The reason why these are suggested is that all of these remedies leave a thin film on your glasses and help prevent fog. However, even though they are of some use, they don’t last very long.
Anti-fog lenses in your glasses. When choosing your glasses or changing your lenses it might be worth considering having your glasses fitted with an anti fog lens such as Optifog. Optifog are a type of lens made by our chosen lens provider Essilor that are coated with a special technology to help prevent fogging. You can discuss the lens that suits you and your glasses best directly with your Optician.
Contact Lenses. If you’ve never tried contact lenses, now might be the right time to give them a go. Apart from the obvious benefit of wearing contact lenses such as comfort and convenience, avoiding fogged up lenses is another one to add to the list. Your Optician will be happy to talk you through the type of contact lens that suits you best. They will also help you get used to putting them in and removing them as well as advise of aftercare.
Improve the fit of your mask. Make sure your mask fits snugly especially around the bridge of your nose with as few gaps as possible. If your mask is well fitted, it will help prevent the amount of hot air hitting your lenses. If it is loose, twist or tie the loops around your ears. When the mask fits properly, most of your breath should go through it, not out the top or sides.
Pull your mask up. A simple way to decrease the amount of fog on your specs is to pull your mask higher on your face and use the weight of your glasses on top of the mask to block the flow of air. This works best with large, thick frames.
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