How to Keep Your Glasses From Fogging up While Wearing a Mask Without Damaging Them

We want to start out by addressing an extremely misinformed tip that has been going around. You might have heard that shaving cream or toothpaste can create a shield on your glasses to stop fogging while wearing a mask. Even though this may be a quick fix, we do not recommend this. The chemicals in these products can negatively interact with the expensive coatings on your glasses. This in return can damage your lenses permanently. There is a myriad of at-home ways you should and shouldn't use stop your glasses from fogging up without damaging them. In this article, we'll explain 'the why, the do's, and the don'ts'. 

Why

Before we get into these methods, let's understand why our glasses are fogging up. Fog is being created because your mask isn’t tight enough to your face, allowing the air from your nose and mouth to exit through the mask to your glasses. 

Do's and Don'ts

Do's

1. Clean Your Glasses 

Make sure to wipe the fog down with soap, water, and a soft cloth (like the Opty Cloth) to minimize the build-up of bacteria. Do not use your breath to moisten your lenses for it can spread bacteria from your mouth.

2. Adjust Your Mask

In order to stop your glasses from fogging up, you'll need to adjust your mask. Ideally, you do not want to allow air to travel from the top of your mask only out of the bottom. There are multiple methods to do this:

1. Tighten your mask to your face by adjusting the ear loops.

2. Mold the mask to your face by adding a pipe cleaner as a nose wire and shape it to fit your face.

3. Tape your mask to your face or just to the bridge of your nose. You can use athletic or medical tape. Tape that is found in office supplies can irritate your skin.

4. Place your glasses over your mask in order to put weight onto your mask to seal it onto your skin as best it can. Keep in mind, this method might not work based on what type of glasses you own. 

3. Use Anti-Fog Spray

An anti-fog spray or wipe can be found online. These products create a film on your glasses that resist fogging. 

Don'ts

1. Don't Use Shaving Cream Or Toothpaste

Applying shaving cream, toothpaste, or any household product that hasn't been approved to be used for lenses can damage your lenses. These coatings are expensive and essential for important tasks. The chemicals in these unauthorized products can be too abrasive, and strip away the coatings on your lenses. The coatings on your glasses can be essential for UV protection, blue light filtering, and many other important purposes. 

2. Don't Skip Out On Wearing Your Mask

Even though fogging can be annoying, it is something we will encounter if our mask isn't fitted onto our faces properly or we do not use an anti-fog spray on our lenses. Wearing a mask during these unprecedented times can help prevent the spread of the virus. It is essential that we wear them to help our communities and those who are most susceptible to the virus.