

Expert tricks to stop your glasses steaming up when wearing a mask

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how to stop glasses steaming up when wearing a mask
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Face masks have become a part of our daily lives but aside from always remembering to take some with you, and getting used to wearing them, glasses wearers have a whole added challenge on top.

How do you stop the lenses of your glasses steaming up when wearing a mask? Many are still trying to figure that out... but we might just have some answers.

For those who wear glasses, it’s an all too familiar scenario: you slip them off to put your mask on, then as soon as you’ve put them back on and taken a few breaths, the lenses fog up. Swapping to contact lenses (which don’t steam up) is one option, while anti-fogging spray is helpful but not 100% effective, or you can introduce smart tactics with your mask.

how to stop glasses steaming up while wearing a maks
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Abi Nelson, optician at Bayfields and a glasses-wearer herself, observes that many of us are wearing masks that don’t fit properly, so breath travels upwards to mist over lenses.

She recommends disposable medical grade masks, which tend to fit better than reusable ones (though they are sadly less environmentally friendly).

As well as moulding the adjustable nose piece to fit snugly over the bridge of the nose and tops of the cheeks (supplement with microporous tape if you need to), here’s her trick: rather than simply looping the straps over your ears, she recommends twisting them into a figure of eight shape first.

This creates small funnels at either side of the mask that allow breath to escape past the cheeks rather than rising upwards. ‘Then ensure the lower edges of your frames sit snugly over the mask and you should notice a difference,’ says Abi.

Well there you have it... try it and let us know.


This article originally featured in the February 2021 issue of Good Housekeeping.





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