How to stop your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask

Canada’s top doctor now recommends wearing a mask in public when it’s not possible to maintain two metres of physical distance. Some businesses are even making it a requirement for people wanting to enter their stores.

So as citizens are getting used to their new accessory, people who wear glasses are finding it especially difficult. With the mask on, glasses tend to completely fog up, limiting a person’s ability to see properly.

According to the Cleveland Clinic , the cause is simple condensation. When warm air hits a cold surface — in this case someone’s warm breath — it causes small water droplets to form.

People who wear glasses, notably scientists and medical professionals, have had to wear PPE masks long before the pandemic made it a requirement. So here’s some tips from experts on how to avoid foggy lenses.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology says one of the first things to check is how the mask is fitting to your face. If it is not fitted properly, there is a higher chance that warm air will seep through the top and into your eyes. Medical masks include a bendable piece of metal near the nose, which can be pinched to fit the shape of your face and prevent any open spaces.

The academy also recommends putting your glasses on after the mask. As an extra precaution, you can add a piece of adhesive or tape to seal the top shut.

A 2011 article published in The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England suggested another simple way to prevent fogging: washing your glasses with soap and water.

According to the article, washing your lenses with soap leaves behind a thin film that reduces the surface tension and causes water molecules to spread evenly and disperse.