Do you not just hate it when your safety glasses start fogging up whenever you wear a mask? Lens condensation can obstruct your view, making your work a bit more dangerous or more challenging than it is. You can maintain safety and efficiency if you know how to stop safety glasses from fogging up.
If you are not sure how to do it, I will share some proven ways and easy hacks to keep your safety glasses as fog-free as possible. These include washing your lenses with soap, making a nose clip, folding Kleenex around the mask’s edge, and more.
Things You Need for This Tutorial
Managing foggy glasses when wearing masks requires no special tools or materials. However, it would be best to clarify a few things before we get started on this activity.
Understanding of Why Glasses Fog Up
Foggy lenses are not only a nuisance. If you have driven in foggy weather, you know that the reduced visibility can increase your risk of accidents.
This also applies to other activities. Your vision will not be as efficient as it should, increasing your risk of mishaps.
The question now is why safety glasses fog up with mask?
Foggy glasses develop because of condensation. It is similar to entering a hot and humid room in the winter. Your cold spectacles interact with hot vapors in the room, forming condensation instantly.
The same happens in the summer when you go inside a low-temperature room. There is a good chance your eyeglasses will also fog up as soon as the high-temperature lenses contact the molecules in the low-temperature environment.
Wearing a mask amplifies it because the high-temperature draft moves upward through gaps between the mask and skin, getting in contact with the lens’ low-temperature surface.
Materials You Should Not Try
I have seen many videos and homemade remedies online recommending the use of toothpaste, vinegar, or saliva to prevent fogging and improve vision.
While some users may find these tips or remedies effective in preventing eyeglass fogging, most experts do not recommend these solutions.
Vinegar’s acidity may be protective against microorganisms but may not be suitable for your glasses’ specialized coatings. Damaging the surface layer of lenses could also reduce vision, undermining your safety at work.
Toothpaste tends to have abrasive compounds for teeth whitening. Sadly, these particles can also damage the coating of lenses.
In a pandemic-stricken world, using your saliva to remove the fog from the lenses is the last thing you will want to do, although it is a proven method among divers and swimmers.
Steps to Stop Safety Glasses from Fogging Up
Step 1. Ensure the correct fit of your mask.
One of the easiest ways to avoid fogging glasses when wearing masks is by ensuring the mask’s perfect fit. If you can feel your breath escaping through the cover, you can also expect outside air to enter.
It is worth remembering that fogging occurs when warm, moist exhalation contacts the lens’ low-temperature surface.
The simplest way to prevent fogging safety glasses is to ensure high-temperature and low-temperature air do not interact. It would be best to get a mask that fits your face perfectly.
Step 2. Wash your safety glasses with warm soapy water.
I found fascinating research about how washing prescription glasses in warm soapy water can prevent condensation in eyeglasses and safety lenses.
The study discovered that a simple wash with soapy water leaves a thin film of soap molecules on the prescription lens surface. This film prevents condensation, allowing you to make full use of your safety glasses.
For this method, all you need is the mildest liquid soap you can find and warm water. Put equal parts of liquid detergent and water in a spray bottle and shake to mix.
Spray the solution onto your prescription glasses and rub the solution. Rinse your glasses and pat them dry with a soft cloth to avoid scratching the outer layer of your lenses. Some people also love to air dry them.
Pro Tip: You can also use baby shampoo instead of liquid soap. Some kinds of shaving cream also have a protective function against fogging.
Step 3. Make your own nose clip.
Most masks come with a metal nose bridge you can pinch to conform to your nose’s natural contour. Sculpting the nasal plate around the bridge of your nose will form an airtight seal under the eyes and above the mask. It should keep safety goggles from fogging up.
If your mask does not have a metal bar, you can search online and buy a self-adhesive nose clip. You can also ask your favorite shop for these products.
The Palmatte Aluminum Strip Nose Wire is an excellent example of this tool. You can wear your mask and place the metal strip on the bridge before contouring.
If you do not like spending on these materials, you can create a homemade version. Paper clips and twist ties are easy to work with. Pipe cleaners and wires are also excellent options.
The only issue with homemade solutions is that you must stitch them into your mask. It is the only way to create a face mask that fits your face.
Step 4. Adjust your safety glasses.
Another trick for managing safety glasses fogging up is adjusting them a bit lower than usual. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, sliding your spectacles lower on your nose facilitates better air circulation.
The organization also recommends wearing your mask higher than usual, allowing you to rest your glasses’ lower rim on the face cover. This trick prevents air from escaping into the spectacles and inhibits fogging.
I recommend buying face masks that secure higher on the face without undermining efficient breathing or obstructing the view.
Step 5. Use Kleenex.
Get a sheet of Kleenex tissue or soft cloth and fold it into a thin strip. It should be long enough to run across your face.
Place the folded Kleenex along the mask’s upper edge and wear your face cover. It seals any gap between your skin and the mask, preventing condensation from forming in the spectacles.
A soft cloth wrapped along the mask’s edges works fine, too.
I found Jennifer Tsai’s video particularly educational in stopping eyeglass fogging.
Step 6. Tape your mask’s upper edge.
Stopping your safety glasses or goggles from fogging up when wearing a mask is as easy as securing the mask’s upper edge. Doing so prevents warm, moist breath from escaping upwards and interacting with the lens’ cold surface.
The methods I shared with you have this aim. If none works, you may want to tape the mask’s upper edge on your skin.
The safest way to do this is by applying a Micropore surgical adhesive tape or a similar product.
I prefer Micropore because it is hypoallergenic and adheres to the skin better than other tapes. It is also effortless to pull out and will not leave any residue. Moreover, medical and health professionals always use this product.
Pro Tip: Before using any adhesive tape on your face, I recommend applying a test strip on your hand to check for any irritation. If none occurs, you can use the adhesive strip to secure your mask and eliminate fogging from your glasses.
Step 7. Use anti-fog wipes.
Studies show that anti-fog wipes prevent safety eyewear from fogging, a common issue observed by medical and other health professionals fighting the COVID 19 pandemic. These products contain iodophors with surfactant capabilities, minimizing condensation in lenses and glass materials.
Anti-fog wipes come in two types: reusable and disposable. An excellent example of a single-use anti-fog wipe is the Bausch & Lomb Sight Savers, while the LifeArt Anti Fog Cloth is perfect for those who want reusable products. You can also use your search menu options for other products.
All you need is to wipe your safety glasses with any of these items, and you will never have issues with fogging eyewear again.
There are other anti fog products online, including sprays and coatings. You could check out which option works best for you or contact the manufacturers for more information from their official site.
I recommend anti-fog sprays because they are more versatile and portable. You can turn any soft cloth into an instant anti fog solution with these products.
Step 8. Buy safety glasses with anti-fog coating.
If none of the methods and tips I shared work, your best course of action is to buy anti fog safety glasses. You can sit for a few minutes and search for the top-rated anti fog glasses and other related products from your favorite e-commerce site.
It may be a costly solution. However, it is worth every penny if eyewear fogging is a daily occurrence and you want a more permanent solution. Moreover, it is a method that is a lot more convenient to pull off.
Conclusion
You will never have to complain about condensation obstructing your view through your lens again. As long as you know how to stop safety glasses from fogging up, you can continue with your work even when you wear a mask.
Is this tutorial beneficial in improving your everyday life while wearing safety glasses and mask simultaneously? I am confident your friends and acquaintances would also love to learn how to stop their eyewear from fogging up. I will also appreciate any feedback or comments you may have.
Our PPE expert, Daniel Rocha, has been working in the industry for 23 years. He provides guidance to our content editor and writers so they may provide well-informed suggestions and tips for machinery and equipment.