Anyone who wears glasses knows the sheer irritation that follows when they head outdoors during summer in the UAE, and their specs immediately fog up. Of course, the irritation is temporary – it’s nothing a quick wipe down won’t solve. However, those wearing face masks and glasses may find it more of a hassle as breathing can cause glasses to fog up over and over again, impairing vision. Luckily, there are a number of solutions. Take your pick: Since spectacles fog up because of breath condensing on the lenses, an easy trick is to create a kind of invisible soap layer on the lenses that the water droplets are unable to stick to. For this technique to work, wash spectacles with soapy water and shake off the excess. Let them air dry or use a tissue paper to dry before wearing your face mask and specs. This should significantly reduce or stop the fogging. The main reason for glasses misting up is warm breath blowing up, which should ideally not happen, and depends on the type of face mask being used and its fit. If it’s a regular surgical facemask, try pressing the upper part of the mask to the nose to ensure it fits perfectly over the bridge, the air will then move out the side instead. If the mask is loose, looping the elastic part to make it an eight shape, and therefore making the mask tighter, may help. Some even use a strip of tape across the mask on the nose to create a type of seal, helping it stay in place, and preventing air air moving upwards. Again, since the main reason for glasses misting up is breath, creating a barrier to stop the airflow up to the glasses can also help. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department issued tips years ago, and these are valid even today. They suggest two simple techniques: the first one being to simply fold the upper part of the mask and wear it partly folded. Make sure you're still covering your whole mouth and your nostrils. If this doesn’t work for you, you can always try the second method - by folding tissue and placing it on the inside of the upper part of the face mask to create a barrier for air (the tissue should run over the bridge of the nose).
