Masks and glasses - at my wits end

[Mcmole]

Has anyone got any magic way to stop my glasses steaming up in a mask? It is worse in the cold weather, and now we have to wear them at school pick up I am actually really stressed about it as I have to walk through the playground in a total fog and not recognise anyone. It makes me panic, feel really disorientated, and feels unsafe. Possibly hot flushes (ugggghhhh) are not helping the situation either!

I have tried the nose wire, plastic 'cages', an anti-fog cloth (which doesn't seem to work), and really can't afford to spend much more on different types of masks (I've got loads, 90% of them feel too big which doesn't help I guess). Unwilling to try washing up liquid/shaving foam as due to my prescription my glasses are expensive and I've heard these can wreck the coating!

Also, because I do have a very strong prescription, I can't move them to a slightly different position as it throws me totally off balance.

Since they became compulsory I have simply avoided any situations where they are needed (not a great hardship at all for me as I am very much an online shopper at the best of times!) but I can't avoid picking up my daughter. As it is I am waiting until the pick up queue starts to move to minimise my time in it but I do need to be able to see to safely walk along and avoid cars/bikes/people.

Any advice? I understand to some people this is not going to sound like a big problem but after a really shit year it just feels like the final straw.

I don't suppose you have prescription swimming goggles? Goggles are the only thing I've found that work reliably, but then not something that you really want to be wearing for the school run either!! Could you do a visor instead of a mask.

I wear contact lenses, except on infrequent night shifts at work, when I take them out in the early hours. Key worker in mask all shift. On those occasions my glassses would steam up and drive me crazy- also makes it hard looking after a patient when I can’t see!
Last week though I had to wear my glasses to work during the day, and after an initial steam (and lots of swearing on my part) they were fine for the rest of the day. That was with a standard surgical face mask with wire.
The only explanation I can think of is that somehow wearing them for longer changed things in some way (no clue what). Certainly my colleagues who usually wear glasses for the whole shift don’t seem to have issues.
Is it worth a try putting the mask on in the house and wearing it for a bit before you need to go out and then on the school run, rather than just for the queue?

I sympathise OP it’s a complete pain! As others have said after the mask has been on 30 mins plus things seem to reach an equilibrium and the fogging stops (I have to wear mask all the time at work).

I think it's the temperature that makes them steam up. So that would be why the pp said hers were fine after a while, I guess they'd warmed up so would no longer steam up.

I'm very interested too as I fell over a kerb quite spectacularly in the playground last week and cut my hands open. All because my glasses were steamed up and I couldn't see the kerb in front of me.

I've seen some opticians sell anti fog wipes, but I'm reluctant to try anything that might ruin my lenses too! Washing up liquid is too abrasive for long term use

I wear glasses and a fabric mask which goes up high enough to tuck under the glasses and generally have no issues. I also have a mask with wire about the nose which also is fine. It can be a bit steamy if my glasses are cold and I go outside but wiping the steam off once and then warning them a bit seems to do the trick?

Otherwise, the paper masks worked well with glasses in the summer (as your breath tends to escape out the sides which probably isn’t the aim)

I feel your pain. I’m a glasses wearer and I’ve tried everything, with no success. I’ve done the washing-up liquid on lens and it made no difference, I’ve tried the different kinds of masks, glasses still steam up.
I wear a visor instead of a mask now.

Wearing for longer could help, I will try that. It's maybe a temperature thing? Perhaps once you keep breathing hot air on them they settle after a while? (not a scientist so no idea if that is true!) Perhaps part of the problem is also that it is quite a long walk to school and I don't have long to do it so I'm racing to get there in time meaning I am quite warm by the time I arrive.

I've also just steamed them up by drinking a cup of coffee - perhaps warming them up before I mask up with a hot coffee might help too?!

I don't have prescription swimming goggles! Interesting to hear that they work though!

Try the anti fogging sprays.

I use tape on the nose bridge and along the top of the mask.

The type used for dressings. It really helps and only steams up a tiny bit in the usual problem areas going in and out of places.

Me too its infuriating. Masks right up high helps for a little while but then the steam comes.

Only thing that works consistently for me is wearing the mask high enough that my glasses sit on it. Which unfortunately means that I can only wear disposables, as the fabric ones are too thick and reposition my glasses in such a way that I cannot see properly. Like you, I have a very strong prescription, with outrageously expensive varifocals.

If, however, I am indoors, in a place with a steady temperature, my glasses don't tend to fog once they have warmed up, as long as I breath through my nose and even in a fabric mask. For this, the best mask is the semi-rigid fabric sort, no pleats, with one seam from nose to chin, worn so that it's fairly snug over the nose but looser under the chin.

A squirt of alcohol based hand sanitiser on the glasses then polished off again works well for me, although I'd check whether it affects the coating first. Bit of vodka should also work too if you're carrying your hip flask

I have this problem too. Have you tried the masks with vents in. They are quite good. Alice Beer was on This Morning the other day. She said of you have your top lip over your bottom lip and breathe downwards. I tried it and it does help.

Have you tried the masks with vents in. They are quite good.

And also pointless and not recommended.

@SoupDragon the OP is going to be wearing it in an open playground by the sounds of it. It complies by all the rules.

I had enough problems with winter rain and glasses that I've gone over to contact lenses for mask requiring situations. This left me in hospital with contacts but no solutions or glasses because I am a disorganised numpty who rarely wears contacts except for sport...

I find the wired nose masks argue with my glasses bridge and the others steam up.

I can cope with indoors stable temperature (hospital, once in a shop) and with dry sunny weather. Unfortunately I'm just outside Glasgow so dry sunny weather is rather less common than damp and cold or pouring horizontal rain which is a nightmare for glasses at the best of times, and I rather doubt is good for the effectiveness of compulsory masks.

I have to put my mask on before leaving home as otherwise I will risk losing my toddler!

It complies by all the rules.

And the vents still make it pointless.

thanks for the various tips and I also feel strangely comforted that I'm not alone in this! DH cant understand because although he wears glasses his prescription is so low that unless he is driving he just takes them off. I might give disposables a go too, I think DH has a stash so I'll see. I've not generally keen on disposable things but if I can see better I'll totally give it a go! I will try the tape too - micropore stuff?

Not sure about vented masks....you are correct that I'm outside in a playground and also separated from other people but it seems against the spirit of things and I don't want to be 'that' parent.

My homemade masks don't make my glasses fog up. (Cotton, 3 layers, nose bar) is that an option?

Just don't wear them outside.
There's really no need to wear them outside and its clearly doing you more harm than good.

I always hold off putting mine on until I'm just about to go into a building..

I'm a nurse and 3 months ago had to start wearing bifocals at work so I wasn't having to keep putting reading glasses on and off. It was awful at first, steaming up with ppe visors and masks while trying to work and I tried the washing liquid, shavingfoam and sprays without findinga reliable solution .The opticians suggested I try their anti fog wipes and they are pricey but do work for a 10 hrs shift. Occasionally there is a few seconds of blur but it turns it into a small drop so you still have vision. I got them from Vision Express but I think specsavers sell them too - called 'NoFog' wipes.

I tape the mask to my nose (make sure there are no gaps) using surgical tape (less than £1 in supermarkets). Also try to breathe differently, sort of put your top lip out and force the air downwards. When you’re in your mask nobody can see, it does look silly when you’re not wearing one though, try it now. I have opted for contacts as I am having driving lessons and need to wear a mask for them and I was so tense wearing a mask and glasses, I was so worried they’d steam up, luckily the surgical tape and weird breathing helps a lot.

I recently bought a swimcell mask after a recommendation on here and it's brilliant, my glasses haven't fogged up since. I think the key is a good strong nose piece combined with adjustable ear loops. Being able to make the loops smaller and pull the mask tight really helps.

@bunnymumy they are mandatory in school playgrounds here so no choice!

@soupdragon I think you might be on to something - I need to get the sewing machine out and give it a go. Could probably get a better fit that way as most of mine are a bit too large anyway.

@aimingforthesky thanks - I will give these a go too!