Why do my glasses fog up? It is important to know why glasses with a mask fog up, because knowing the cause makes it easier to find effective remedies. The truth is that it is almost inevitable that they fog up, since the very air that we exhale with our breath causes that annoying fog on the crystals. Basically, it is due to the temperature contrast between the crystals and the air that comes out through our nose and mouth.
This happens especially in winter, when it is colder and, therefore, the difference in temperature with respect to the air that we exhale intensifies. With each breath, we expel water vapor that condenses on the lenses , forming mist and fogging our glasses.
Although it is a natural process that is difficult to control, do not worry. If you want to know how to prevent your glasses from fogging up with a mask, there are some options that can be very useful for you.
Another option is to stop wearing glasses and switch to contact lenses. For this reason, we recommend this other article on How to clean contact lenses .
Dry soap
Rubbing a piece of dry soap on the inside and outside of both lenses is one of the most used tricks when it comes to preventing glasses from fogging up. It can be effective, but you must take certain precautions so that the lenses do not get scratched.
Even when solid, you should be able to spread the soap fairly easily. Do it carefully and making sure that it does not have any especially hard edge or lump that acts as if it were a small stone. Scrub the piece gently and, once spread, remove the soap with a clean cloth until it is completely removed. In this way, a thin invisible layer will be created that will repel mist, preventing fogging of the glasses.
Wash them under the tap
Another simple trick to prevent your glasses from fogging up is to wash them under the tap with lukewarm water – cold (never hot) while applying a small amount of liquid soap , preferably with a neutral pH. Dry carefully and you will have them ready for use.
Fit the mask well
Exhaling the air coming from our lungs every time we breathe is unavoidable, but if we wear a well-fitting mask, this simple gesture will not only protect us better against the coronavirus but will also ensure that less steam reaches our glasses.
Choose the mask that best suits your features and adjust it to the maximum. Over the bridge of your nose, the mask has a flexible metal strap that is specifically designed to help you get the perfect fit. In this way, you will reduce that air that comes out of the upper part and ends up fogging the glasses.
Sticking plaster
If, despite adjusting the mask well, your glasses continue to fog up, try reinforcing the metal strip that stops the air from escaping through the upper area. To do this, place a piece of tape or a simple band-aid on the strip. Thus the output will be ‘sealed'.
If you always wear glasses, you will be interested in this other article on How to avoid red eyes from contact lenses .
Tissue
Don't you like the idea of wearing a plaster on your nose too much? Another solution to prevent the goggles from fogging up with a mask is to place a tissue under it that ‘plugs' the upper outlet of the breathing air.
Take a small tissue paper and fold it into a triangle. Place it over your nose and put the mask on top of the bandana, as you normally would. In this way, you will have an extra anti-fog ‘brake'.
Glasses over the mask
If you don't have a handkerchief or tape handy, a little trick that can help you when your glasses won't stop fogging up, preventing you from seeing properly, is to try to wear them just above the upper edge of the mask, that is, ‘stepping on it' with your own molding. Simple, but effective.
Sprays and wipes
You have within your reach products that are very practical and economical so that your glasses do not fog up. Two of those that give the best results are sprays and wipes, which, in addition to cleaning the glasses , prevent the formation of fogging . Both products have a limited duration of between 4 and 6 hours and it is enough to resort to them before putting on your glasses. Apply them and you will keep annoying fogging at bay.
Heat them with your own air
Directly spraying the mist that we exhale when breathing on the glasses is a trick that we frequently do when we have nothing at hand and we want to clean the glasses. We exhale and then wipe with a cloth. This common gesture will also help to reduce the formation of fog on the glasses. This is because, as we have said, the glasses fog up due to the temperature contrast between the lenses (colder) and the air that comes out of the nose (warmer). Thus, by exhaling and heating the crystals , we reduce that contrast.
Lighter goggles
Another trick to prevent glasses from fogging up with a mask is to ensure that air can circulate more easily between the lenses and your own eyes. This can be achieved by using lighter weight glasses , such as those with metal frames.
You can also use a model that includes platelets or supports in the area of the bridge that rests on the nose. Glasses of this type allow you to increase the intake of air from the outside, something that can counteract the fogging effect caused by the mist of your breath. If you suffer from this problem and have to change your glasses, keep this detail in mind.
To find out if the time has come to change your glasses, take a look at this other article on How often to change your glasses .
Glasses forward
If you do not plan to change glasses, simply moving yours slightly forward towards the middle of the nose (towards the tip), you will also favor the entry and circulation of air, preventing the glasses from fogging up with the mask.
Fold in the hygienic mask
Reducing the arrival of fog to the lenses of the glasses is possible with another little trick. If you use hygienic masks, try making a small inward fold in the upper band before adjusting it to your face. The fold will act as a barrier that stops excess steam
Potato
One last home remedy you can try to prevent your mask glasses from fogging up is to gently rub half a peeled potato on the inside and outside of your lenses. Pass it through and then dry the crystals with a clean cloth. The starch contained in the liquid released by the potato can help prevent the crystals from fogging up.
