Masks and fogged glasses

[Dowling 249]

I wear a mask because it's the right thing to do to prevent the spread of Covid and to protect myself. The trouble is that when I wear it my glasses always used to fog up. Well I learned a trick on U-Tube that prevents this no matter what kind of mask you wear and I thought I'd pass it along. Take a Kleenex. It is already folded in half so leave it that way. Fold in the side ends about 3/4 of an inch. Then fold the long end until you have a piece about 4 inches long and about 3/4 of an inch wide. You don't have to be precise.  Place this in the nose area of your mask and put it on. The mask will hold it in place. This fills in the gap between your face and the mask. The Kleenex is absorbent and absorbs the moisture from your breath. When you take the mask off throwaway the Kleenex and use a fresh one the next time. This really does work.

[buddy7 1,380]

I need to try this Dowling at some time, seems to be a jolly good old trick. When I have my glasses on, I have the same problem. 

[ran23 10,766]

Same problem here.  Lately I put a strip of tape along the top center edge of the mask, works good on cotton type masks.  

[Diana_CT 16,228]

This morning my glasses fogged up so much couldn't see the crosswalk light with my glasses or without my glasses. I had to ask a construction worker at the corner if the light changed, he laughed but told me when it changed.

[Dowling 249]

You may have to put more than 1 Kleenex in depending on your type of mask. 1 didn't work for me but 2 did. I tried 1 inside my house and it was OK but when I went shopping today my glasses did fog so I added another one and pinched my nose piece tighter and no fog.

[Hammer 19,340]

If you get a mask that has a metal strip that runs along the bridge of your nose, that will prevent the fogging problem, as the metal strip can be pressed so that no air escapes from the top of the nose area, where your glasses are.  These are the masks that I have, but I don't know if they are still available, since they are N95 masks, and are usually only available to front line workers.  There are a number of KN95 masks that have the same metal strip, so maybe check those out.

[Dowling 249]

Hammer mine have a metal strip and my glasses still fog. In fact most masks have some kind of metal strip including those disposable masks. Perhaps yours is closer fitting around the face and nose

[ran23 10,766]

Metal strip does nothing for mine, that is why I tape it.  

[Hammer 19,340]

I think that the mask that I linked to, the N95 mask, doesn't fog up your glasses, since it not only has that metal strip on the bridge of the nose, but it also has a valve on the front, that allows exhaled air to escape.(that square piece on the front of the mask.)

[Eurotoff 19]

That is so interesting to hear.

[Dowling 249]

17 hours ago, Hammer said:

I think that the mask that I linked to, the N95 mask, doesn't fog up your glasses, since it not only has that metal strip on the bridge of the nose, but it also has a valve on the front, that allows exhaled air to escape.(that square piece on the front of the mask.)

If it allows air to escape does it also have a filter so that when you are breathing in you are not getting the outside air directly. If not then wearing that mask defeats the purpose of wearing a mask. You wear a mask to avoid the exhale of someone infected, If you breathe the outside air you could breathe in the virus

[Hammer 19,340]

Yes, the mask has a valve on the front that opens when you exhale, then shuts when you inhale.  The valve is shut until you exhale, as the exhaled air has enough pressure to open the valve, but once you have finished exhaling, the valve closes and when you inhale, as inhaling pulls the already closed valve, even more tightly closed, so that you are inhaling through the filter material, not the valve.