How can I stop my glasses from fogging up I am wearing a mask?

As everyone around the globe embraces the ‘new normal’, face masks are becoming increasingly popular and a part of our daily wardrobes. In fact, face coverings and face masks are 100% mandatory in certain places, specifically public places of gathering, where if you’re not wearing one, you could not only risk infecting others but also end up paying a heavy fine.

But there’s a problem for us glasses wearers: our lens fogging up while we breathe, which can certainly become very annoying as we’re walking down the sidewalk, talking to someone or even driving.

Yes, indeed – wearing glasses with a face mask can be annoying, uncomfortable and even frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be.

We’ve come up with specific tips to help you prevent your glasses from fogging up when wearing a face mask.

How to prevent your glasses from fogging up when wearing a mask

For those of us who wear glasses regularly, wearing a mask over our mouths can lead to limited vision. When you breathe out, the warm air shoots up and out from the top of the mask, causing your glasses to fog up.

Now, we certainly can’t have you taking your glass off just to wipe them down and put them back on, as the risk of infection is always there. Let’s, instead, take the following tips into account:

Use a nose bridge

Most generic, over-the-counter face masks fit loosely over the nose – when you breathe, the upward draft is sure to fog up your glasses. This can be easily solved with a nose bridge – a flexible aluminum strip which allows you to bend them in order to fit the shape of your nose. This is important as it serves several purposes:

• The mask becomes more effective at protecting you against viruses and bacteria
• Improves visibility with no need to take off glasses to wipe them down
• Wearing the mask becomes more comfortable and keeps it in place
• No need to worry about your breathe fogging up glasses
• Better protection against bacteria/viruses coming in or escaping out from the mask

Some masks do come with a bridge sewn in, however, they’re not the best quality, and most get bent out of shape easily over time. An aluminium nose bridge, on the other hand, will stop your glasses from fogging up and this one comes with a self-adhesive which can easily be stuck on the top side or underside of your face mask. 

Use soap and water

It’s important to regularly wash your glasses with a light soap or cleaning solution and warm water. Dry them off using a soft microfibre cloth – in fact, the one that comes with your glasses is perfect for this purpose. Avoid facial tissues for cleaning your lens.

Soap actually reduces surface tension, which means even if your lenses get fogged up, the fog will not linger around and evaporate easily into the atmosphere.

Wear masks that offer a tighter, more snug fit

While mounting a nose bridge on top of your face covering or mask certainly helps, you’d always want to wear a mask which snugly fits around your mouth.

Lycra face masks work perfectly in this regard and are far more effective at fitting snugly around your mouth and nose – as opposed to the generic blue or green ones which never provide enough protection. Lycra face masks also come with a replaceable HEPA filter or Nano filter which gives you all the protection you need from airborne germs and viruses.

These masks come with an outer mesh layer, under which the HEPA or Nano filter and an additional layer of clothing provides the best results in terms of comfort, reliability, quality and protection.

You could always remove the HEPA/Nano filter altogether when wearing your mask in low risk areas, although you’ll definitely have a lower level of protection. We’d always recommend using the filter as it further helps in preventing your glasses from fogging up when wearing a mask.

Always ensure that your mask fits snugly

Naturally, a mask that fits tightly around your face is one of the first things you should check. You’ll get better protection from airborne particles as a result and prevent your breathing from fogging up your glasses.

Always check that your mask fits tightly around the cheeks and nose, and that there are no gaps which allow air to escape. This is why we feel Lycra masks with a HEPA or Nano filter does the job quite nicely.

Adjust your glasses

Glasses that have to be constantly nudged back up against the top of your nose can be a real pain. Many glasses come with nose grips or nose pads to help them stay in place. Just make sure they’re made from good-quality silicon so that they stay nice and soft over the years. If you wear glasses that come with no nose pads and just a flat frame to rest against your nose, then perhaps it’s time to consider getting new ones.

As an alternative, however, you can slide your glasses down your nose to allow more air to escape from your mask, thus, preventing the fog up.

But with a Lycra face mask and aluminum nose bridge, this is rarely a problem.

Seal the top of your mask with your glasses

This is another tip you can try when it comes to preventing your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask.

Pull your mask higher up on your nose, and use your glasses to seal it. Now, you need to make sure your glasses don’t slide off because the secure fit will prevent warm air from escaping the mask.

In conclusion

If nothing seems to work, then you could either shift to contact lenses – but those come with their own trials and tribulations.

A Lycra face mask with a HEPA or Nano filter is not only breathable and comfortable, but also comes with soft ear loops to offer you the best protection and comfort. Use a nose bridge to keep it in place and you’re golden.