Foggy Glasses & Facemasks: A Survival Guide

Wearing a face has become the new norm as we all strive to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. Something else that’s becoming common -- fogging of eyeglasses!

“Exhaled air escapes through the top of the mask,” said Sandy T. Feldman MD, Medical Director of Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center in San Diego. “When the warm vapor from your breath lands on the cooler lenses, it produces tiny droplets that scatter light and make it hard to see. Very annoying, but it’s also very easy to fix.”

Dr. Feldman’s top tips to prevent foggy eyeglasses:

• Wash your glasses in soapy water and let them air dry. The film should prevent fogging.
• Tighten the seal of the top of the mask so that air from your breath does not cause fogging
• Prevent your exhaled breath from reaching your glasses by placing paper tape at the top part of your mask.
• Look for masks with moldable pieces around the nose (like a metal strip) or masks that come in various sizes.

• If your glasses have nose pads, tweak the pads so the frames sit farther away from your face.
• Apply an anti-fogging spray or gel to the lenses. Be sure to only use products specifically made for eyeglasses.
• Consider buying lenses with an anti-fog coating.

“For a more permanent solution, opt for personalized LASIK or SMILEand reduce your dependence on eyewear altogether,” Dr. Feldman suggested. “Nothing beats that for convenience and fog-free, vision!”

Dr. Sandy Feldman, one of the nation’s most respected ophthalmologists and LASIK experts.

I can arrange an interview with Dr. Feldman to discuss this issue or any other eye-related topic. Contact Diana Soltesz at Diana@dsmmedia.com or 818-618-5634.

Sandy T. Feldman, MD is the Medical Director of Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center -- voted best LASIK center in San Diego by the San Diego Union Tribune (2016 and 2017) and CityBeat Magazine two years in a row. Her numerous awards include “Top Doc San Diego” and the Goldline Award, an honor granted to only 10 laser eye care providers in the U.S. each year. She has also been profiled in Forbes, Newsweek, and other respected publications. Dr. Feldman is a fellow of the prestigious American College of Ophthalmic Surgeons, as well as a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. She has successfully performed more than 20,000 refractive procedures. For more information, visit clearvieweyes.com, twitter.com@drsandytfeldman, www.facebook/com/ClearviewLASIK/, instagram.com/clearviewLASIK.