In response to COVID-19/coronavirus, communities in Texas and all over the nation are asking people to wear protective face masks in public. This has led to a very annoying problem for those who wear eyeglasses — the lenses in their glasses have a tendency to fog up whenever they have a mask on.
If this has been happening to you, don’t worry — there’s a very simple fix.
What’s Causing Your Glasses to Fog Up When You Wear a Mask?
Condensation is what causes your glasses to fog up. Condensation appears on eyeglass lenses when water vapor — from sweat, breath, or ambient humidity — comes into contact with a cooler surface, lowering its temperature and transforming the vapor into tiny drops of liquid. A phenomenon called surface tension causes the condensation to collect in tiny droplets on the lens. Too much condensation and the lenses begin to “fog up”, making it difficult to see.
When you exhale into a face mask, a lot of the exhaled air is directed upwards. This exhaled breath is warmer and moister than the surrounding air. When it collides with the cooler surface of your eyeglass lens, the moisture in your exhaled breath condenses. Droplets form on the lens; surface tension keeps them clinging in place. The result: after a few breaths your glasses get so fogged up you have trouble seeing.
While it only takes a few seconds to wipe away the condensation, having your glasses fog up at the wrong moment can make things difficult, or even dangerous, depending on what activity you’re engaged in.
Prevent Your Glasses from Fogging Up When You Wear a Mask
Fortunately, there’s a quick and easy way to prevent your glasses from fogging up when you wear a mask. And all you need is soap and water. Soap and water helps to reduce the droplets’ surface tension so they don’t cluster or cling, fogging up the lens.
- First, wash your hands with soap and water.
- Next, wet your glasses, then lather soap on the lenses until it’s been applied to the entire surface of the lens.
- Once you’ve finished soaping up your lens, rinse them under warm water. Make sure you rinse the lens thoroughly; soap film can fog up your lenses, too.
- Finally, gently dry your glasses using a soft cloth or lens wipe. Avoid using a towel or cloth made from a coarse material; it could scratch your lens.
Now you should be seeing a lot clearer!
Get Rid of the Glasses All Together?
Never want to worry about foggy lenses again? LASIK eye surgery gets rid of the headache of foggy lenses by getting rid of the eyeglasses all together! If you’ve been considering LASIK surgery, Berkeley Eye Center is one of the most trusted LASIK providers in Texas.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to determine if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. We have locations all over Houston and surrounding communities, so there’s sure to be a Berkeley Eye Center close to you.