OH FOGGY DAY
Our new masked life has created new problems that we never thought we’d ever have… getting out of breath simply holding a conversation, remembering to drink water at work when you have to keep your mouth covered, not being able to use Face ID on your phone in public, mascne, what mask goes with this outfit, and the dreaded fogging of your glasses or sunglasses! We have noticed the foggy lenses to be a huge issue not only in day-to-day, but also during eye exams and trying on glasses. Sometimes we feel like the photo above is exactly how we’re seeing the world! We wanted to give you a few tips that we’ve found to be helpful over the last several months, but keep in mind these are all things to help with fogging, and most likely won’t completely eliminate the fogging altogether. We do still have to breathe after all!
Leave the fog behind you by adding Kleenex to the top of your mask with a nose wire!
GET A MASK WITH NOSE WIRE
This is a biggie! When you have a mask with a nose wire, and a sturdy or thicker nose wire in particular, it will create a tighter seal to keep the air from coming up into your glasses. Some come with nose wire, but you can also DIY your current mask to add a nose wire. We recommend using a metal piece from a disposable surgical or cone mask that will be thicker and create a tighter pinch.
ADD KLEENEX
When you add a piece of Kleenex under the face mask at the nose ridge, like Dr. K pictured here, it will create more of a buffer to diffuse the water droplets and create less fog on your lenses. Be sure to replace this kleenex with each on/off of your mask for it to be most effective.
REPOSITION YOUR GLASSES
We’ve noticed when your glasses are pushed slightly toward the edge of your nose, and not teetering between the lip of your mask, this creates more space between your glasses and mask. More area between the mask and glasses means more space for the air to move before attaching as fog on your glasses. If you have notepads on your glasses, we found that helpful to keep the frames positioned correctly for your eyes while moving them slightly further on your nose.
WASH YOUR LENSES
Click here for details on how to safely clean your eyewear and more eyewear tips to stay safe during COVID!
Try washing the lenses of your glasses or sunglasses with soapy water. Let it air dry. This will create a thin, but clear film on your lenses which will help to resist the water droplets of your breath from adhering to your lenses. You may need to replicate this each morning for a new film to apply on the lenses and help combat fog each day.
USE AN ANTI-FOG WIPE
Use an anti-fog wipe on your lenses to limit the amount of fog on your lenses. We like this one from Amazon because not only is it safe to use on your lenses with anti-glare or blue blocker coatings, but it also creates a streak-free view for you to look through. Try it out!
Step-by-step how OptiFog coating reduces fog on your lenses!
OPTIFOG COATING
Maybe you’ve tried all of these at some point or another and you want a more permanent fix?! We do have a coating that we can apply to your new lenses during your ordering process called optifog. While we do think it makes a dramatic difference in the fog on your lenses, it does not fully eliminate the fog all the time. We can also put an anti-glare coating on your lenses as part of the optifog coating that will reduce glare, dirt, and scratches. Let us know when you purchase your new glasses at our office, if this is something you’re interested in though!
We hope we’ve given you some helpful tips to turn that foggy day into seeing clearly! As we all discover the best ways to weather this new normal, we’d love to hear any tricks you’ve found to be helpful to combat the fog in the comments below. Stay safe and healthy!
