There are several theories on how to prevent your glasses from fogging up when you wear a face mask. If you are a person who would not like to choose between contracting a horrible virus and being able to see, you will need to find a way to keep your lenses fog free when you are away from home.
We have tested some methods to see how effective they are at preventing your glasses from fogging up when you put on your mask.
5 tricks to prevent glasses from fogging using a mask
Wear a nose bridge mask
First, wear a mask that fits around the nose. The closer the top of the mask is to your face, the less breath will escape the space between your eyes and your glasses. Some masks come with moldable nose pieces (which is where the largest gaps could be), and others have a flexible cable along the full top edge.
Works? Yes. I tried a mask with a built-in nosepiece . With this, the glasses blurred just a little bit, but not enough to block vision, and the fog cleared in a few seconds.
I also tried a mask with a wire sewn along the entire top edge, which could be molded to hold it flat against my cheeks and nose. My glasses remained fog-free. Well!
Put the mask under the glasses
If you've already purchased a face mask and don't have a moldable nosepiece, this might be your second best option. This method follows a theory similar to the previous one: place the face mask under the frame of your glasses, to make the spaces smaller, preventing air from escaping from the top of your mask.
Works? Yes! With a couple of caveats. When I tried, I had to put my glasses a little lower on the bridge of my nose , because in its normal position the mask is too high and obscures my vision. This method is a bit more complicated than wearing a face mask with an adjustable top, and its effectiveness will probably depend on your style of glasses.
Wash the lenses with soap (or shaving foam)
This is where the tips start to get a little more scientific. The theory is that washing the glasses with soapy water leaves a film that reduces the surface tension on the lenses, causing the water molecules in your exhaled breath to spread evenly in a clear layer, rather than clumping together (causing the mist).
To try this method, all you need to do is gently rub a little soapy water over your glasses, rinse them, shake off the excess water, and then dry them with a clean cloth or tissue. Others have used shaving foam for the same effect.
Works? No My glasses blurred the same (although they are now pretty and clean). However, this method is supported by the National Library of Medicine, so maybe I am doing something wrong?
Tape a tape to the top of the mask
As with the first and second methods, the idea is to prevent exhaled air from escaping from the top of the glasses. You can use any type of tape that does not remove the skin when you remove it (we would give a fault to the adhesive tape).
Works? Probably, but there are more downsides here: it is not the most comfortable thing to have duct tape stuck to your face, and you will lose the tape if your face gets sweaty. Also, you will look a bit stupid. Still, it's fine in a pinch.
Try a mist spray or cleaner
The final technique to prevent goggles from fogging up when wearing a face mask is to try a spray or anti-fog wipe. These are easy to get and fairly inexpensive. Many are specifically aimed at swimming goggles or diving masks, but will work the same way on your goggles.
Works? We haven't been able to test any of these, but some are extremely well-reviewed.
