How to Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up While Wearing a Mask

You wear your glasses for fashion. Or, you wear your glasses because you can’t see without them. Regardless of the reason, you’ve probably managed to find a way to wear your glasses comfortably.

Then, masks happened.

And now, you have to put two items on your face and make them work together as you run errands or take on a workday. Argh!

It’s been a challenge for some of us. And the worst part? The aggravation that builds as you constantly wipe off your glasses throughout the day. This can’t be real life!?! We’re already dealing with the pressures of a pandemic. We don’t need foggy glasses on top of everything else, right?

While we can’t control what’s going on around us, the good news is, we can eliminate the foggy glasses problem.

Why do glasses fog up in the first place?

Here’s the simple science behind it. When warm air hits a cool surface, condensation can form. Just think about how your glasses fog up when you walk into a warm building after being out in the cold. The same thing happens with a mask. When your warm breath escapes through the top of the mask, it hits the lenses of your glasses and causes them to fog up. What can you do to prevent this from happening? Here are a few helpful ideas.

Ways to fight the fog

There are a couple of things that you can do to keep your lenses clear while you’re shopping, working or just living life behind a mask.

Make sure you have the right fit

If you don’t, you’re going to get that steam room effect all day long. Here’s a good fit tip from Aaron Hamilton, MD.

“You want to make sure your mask fits securely over the nose. With glasses, a mask with a nose bridge will keep warm air from exiting up to your glasses as opposed to other face coverings,” says Dr. Hamilton.

You can buy masks with a nose bridge or masks that can be shaped to fit the face. If you’ve decided to make your own masks, you can create a better fit for them by sewing pipe cleaners or twist ties into the top so they can be molded to fit the nose better.

Just add soap and water

The next trick has been floating around the internet a lot these days. It’s actually one that healthcare professionals have turned to over the years. All you need for this foggy glasses hack is soapy water and a soft cloth.

Now, glasses can be a major investment. If you have special coatings on your lenses, check with your optician before trying this next hack so you don’t ruin them.

With this technique, you simply wash your lenses with soapy water and shake off the excess liquid. You can allow your lenses to air dry or gently wipe them off with a soft cloth before wearing your glasses again. Why does this method work? The soap leaves behind a thin film that acts as a fog barrier.

Use your glasses to seal the top of your mask

If you can pull your mask up higher on your nose, you can use your glasses to seal it and shape it to your face. Just place your glasses right on top of the material that’s over your nose and make sure they don’t slide off. A secure fit will keep the warm air from escaping through the top of the mask.

Tape it down

This might come in handy if you’re looking for more of a set it and forget it approach. You can tape your mask down around the bridge of your nose and to your cheeks with sports or medical tape. Don’t use duct tape or tape that wasn’t made to be used on the skin. If you have sensitive skin, test the tape out beforehand to make sure that it doesn’t cause irritation, or you can simply use tape that was made for sensitive skin.

If all else fails, shop around for a solution

If nothing seems to be working for you, there are wipes and sprays out there that were designed to tackle foggy glasses. Before trying one, make sure the ingredients won’t damage any protective coatings on your lenses. And don’t ignore the product reviews. Make sure you read them before you buy so you won’t be seeing red in addition to fog.