The coronavirus pandemic has really changed our lives by bringing a lot of changes in the way we live. For those people who were already wearing glasses, there has been another major issue. They are used to face blurry vision due to foggy glasses.
How do your glasses fog up due to a face mask? There are a lot of factors combined here. Your breath is warm when releasing it out. Your exhalation temperature is different from that of the glasses, according to Suzanne Willard, Ph.D., associate dean and clinical professor at Rutgers School of Nursing. It generates condensation within the glasses.
A mask traps the air you exhale and it ratchets up. Some masks direct the warm exhalations up over the cheeks to the glasses and fog them up to make it more difficult to see as they don’t seal over the nose properly, according to an internal medicine instructor, Isabel Valdez, Baylor College of Medicine.
The CDC recommends people to wear a cotton face mask all the time going outside and when going around people who are from outside the household.
Face Mask for People Wearing Glasses
Face masks should be less about style and more about safety and fit, according to Willard. She recommends masks with a wire above the nose to ensure tight fit snugly and closely under the glasses. If your glasses fog up when wearing the mask, it’s a sign that you need to replace it quickly. It is because you are not getting great protection on your face. You will notice less fogging if the seal is good.
According to Valdez, you should look for firm wire which molds up the nose to avoid touching it to adjust it. Adjustable ties or ear loops can help. It always works when it comes to get a good seal as it passes the breath down.
In addition, it is also about what type of mask you like. You may go for an Olson-style mask designed by medical experts that curve the face naturally over the nose. You may also go for a pleated mask with wire to adjust easily for a snug fit.