4 Ways To Prevent Glasses From Fogging
October 24, 2024 • 3:26 PM
Know what’s really annoying? Fogging glasses. No matter what you do, your glasses seem to attract condensation. The moment you step from your office or home and are met with the humidity outside, your glasses fog up like a bathroom mirror.
For those working in the medical profession, the situation can be even more bothersome. As you might recall from the pandemic, a face mask naturally directs hot breath toward the nearest opening (around your nose), which sends warm air straight to your eyewear. It’s a recipe for an annoying day, and you’ve likely found this article because you’re looking for a solid solution.
Lucky for you, the team of eyewear pros at Pair is here to help. We’ve narrowed down our list of tried-and-true hacks to keep your glasses from fogging up, and we’ll also share whether anti-fog lenses are heroes or over-hyped.
Why Do Glasses Fog?
It’s simple science: Fogging occurs because of different air temperatures. In other words, if you work in a 72-degree building and walk outside on a perfectly comfortable 72-degree day, your glasses will likely stay fog-free.
Most of us, however, live in variable climates. That means the temperature changes frequently and from season to season. When the cool surface of your glasses meets warm air (either from your breath or the environment), condensation forms on the surface. That condensation, in turn, forms fog, making it hard for you to see your hand — even if it’s in front of your face.
What Are the Dangers of Foggy Specs?
It isn’t hard to imagine the dangers associated with fogging lenses. If your glasses fog while you’re driving, for instance, you could be at risk of a car accident.
However, there are even more risks associated with foggy glasses than many people realize:
Reduced Visibility
No matter what you’re involved in, reduced visibility puts your project at risk. Whether walking, drawing blood in a lab, working on a patient, or chopping down trees with an axe, reduced visibility doesn’t result in anything good.
Distraction
If you notice your glasses fogging, you’ll likely stop what you're doing to remove your eyewear and wipe the lenses. This takes time, distracts you from your work, and can lead to mistakes.
Fall Risks
Foggy lenses go hand-in-hand with slip and falls. Sometimes, a fall happens before you even have time to consider removing your glasses and wiping the lenses.
Keeping your eyes and the rest of your body safe requires fog-free glasses. Luckily, we’ve got four creative ways to deal with hot air and cool glasses.
How To Stop Glasses From Fogging
Foggy glasses are dangerous and annoying. Let’s cover some proven anti-fog solutions:
1. Make Sure Your Mask Fits
If you wear a mask to work, make sure that face covering fits perfectly. There should be no gaps in the covering on any edge. If there are, level up your mask game and opt for something more secure, especially if you’re a healthcare worker who must wear a mask full-time.
It’s also important to ensure your eyewear fits properly. If your glasses continually slide down the bridge of your nose, they are more likely to come into contact with your breath and cause fog.
When you place your mask on your face, your glasses and mask should not touch. If they do, consider smaller eyewear or moving the top of your mask lower down on the bridge of your nose so that it does not interfere with your eyewear.
2. Try Anti-Fog Drops
Anti-fog drops can be found online or in most drug stores. These drops change the surface tension of your glasses so that the water droplets accumulating on the surface are impossible to see. Instead of large droplets that result in fog, the condensation becomes a fine mist that does not interfere with your vision.
If you decide to use these, keep in mind that anti-fog sprays, drops, and anti-fog wipes only provide a temporary solution to a more permanent problem. They’re great for a quick fix, but for lasting anti-fog protection, you’ll need a different solution.
Another tip: If your eyewear has specialized coatings, you should avoid using anti-fog drops. Some topical anti-fog products can harm lens coatings, so check with the manufacturer to make sure your glasses are safe for the product you want to use.
3. Try Dish Soap
Using soapy water on your lenses may sound counterintuitive, but it’s a solid solution for preventing your eyeglasses from fogging. Use a mild cleanser, like dish soap or baby shampoo, warm water, and a soft cloth. Gently rub the surface of your lenses with the solution, rinse them, and allow them to air dry. The next time your glasses meet hot air, they won’t fog as much.
The mild surfactant in the soap leaves a residue on the lenses that provides a temporary shield against the fog. Like anti-fog drops, it changes the surface tension and prevents fogging. This is an easy hack, and mask-wearers swear by it.
If you have specialized lens coatings, check with the manufacturer to be certain you can use dish soap to clean them. Otherwise, you may harm your eyewear or nullify any warranty it comes with.
4. Get Fog-Free Lenses
The long-term solution for keeping your lenses fog-free is to opt for fog-resistant lenses. These lenses will add an additional fee to your eyewear order but will likely keep you from experiencing fog for at least a year.
No fog-resistance lenses last forever. You’ll eventually have to replace them or begin using the hacks above, but fog-free lenses can be a great solution if you regularly experience fog. That said, there are certain fog resistance hacks you will want to avoid.
What DIY “Fog Hacks” Should You Avoid?
The internet is full of useful pointers, but it’s also full of incorrect information. Even if some of the below hacks work, you’re better off avoiding them, as they could risk the integrity of your eyewear.
Toothpaste
Using toothpaste on your lenses is like the soapy water method. You apply a thin layer of toothpaste to your lens, then rinse it off. The same way soap changes the surface tension, toothpaste can also keep your lenses fog-free for a short period of time.
However, there’s a big caveat. Most toothpaste contains scrubbing ingredients that could scratch your lenses, even if they’re scratch-resistant. As such, you should save the minty freshness for your teeth.
Shaving Cream
Shaving cream is another method that works similarly to dish soap. The danger to your glasses in this scenario is that shaving cream tends to be heavier and may still make your glasses foggy. It may also lead you to scrub your lenses to remove the shaving cream or gel, which can lead to damage.
If you still have trouble with fogging glasses after trying the safe hacks above, we recommend making sure your glasses fit appropriately and purchasing new ones from a trusted retailer. If you need different eyewear, head to your optometrist or optician for an eye exam. Once you have your prescription from your eye doctor, check out Pair’s eyeglasses.
Get the Pair You Need
Pair makes it easy to get durable, high-quality eyewear in styles you’ll love. With just one pair of Base Frames and unlimited Top Frames to choose from, you can build a custom eyewear wardrobe that captures your individuality.
The best part? Our eyewear won’t break the bank. We aim to make our frames accessible so you can always love your look. Whether you need prescription glasses, blue light filtering glasses, or reading glasses, we can provide multiple pairs with one simple frame.
Kiss fog goodbye to foggy glasses with these clever hacks, and enjoy your pair from Pair every day of the week!
Sources:
How to Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up While Wearing a Mask | Cleveland Clinic
How to stop your glasses from fogging up when you wear a mask | CNN
How to Prevent Fogging of Spectacle Glasses When Wearing a Face Mask | PubMed