Source
r/NoStupidQuestions•
Fsharp7sharp9

Glasses wearers... how the hell do you deal with masks??

I live in the northeast US, and I wear masks anytime I will be around people. I can not afford to get sick for multiple reasons so I wear a mask whenever I can. Unfortunately, my shit eyesight forces me to wear glasses.

When I have the mask on, my glasses fog up within a couple of breaths making it impossible to see. Also, my breath seems to condense around my nose, allowing my glasses to slip off of my nose, requiring me to adjust them repeatedly. Last week I was at a store and they slipped off my face without warning into a sticky spot on the floor... gross.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

Edit: thanks for all the answers and advice. My mask is a piece of cotton with ear loops that cover my nose and mouth, so it is washable, but has no metal nose clip. I think I will figure a way to get a paper clip through one side of the mask so that I can seal the top around my nose.

Thank you all and I hope this helps anyone else dealing with this! More Americans have died in the last 4 months than in the Great War. Don’t be an idiot, protect yourself, protect others, and protect people who have weakened immune systems!

Posted Jul 4, 2020, 3:08 PM UTC · edited

211
Curumandaisa•

Try inserting a small wire tie into the mask top (The part that goes round ye nose) to tighten the mask

Edit: tighten it ard the nose area so less hot air escapes upwards towards your glasses and or nose

2
GFrohman•

If your glasses fog up when wearing a mask, your mask is improperly fitted and ineffective.

A mask should be tightly fitted around the nose. A majority of your breath should go through the mask, not around it.

2
AionAlgos•

That only applies to respirators (such as N95 and other FFP masks). Surgical masks a.k.a. face masks are leaky and far less likely to seal effectively. If OP is having an issue with a face mask, they just need to try and position it so that it leaks around the sides and bottom (cheeks and chin) rather than the top (nose).

​

Respirators are devices "designed to protect the wearer from inhaling hazardous atmospheres". They require the wearers has no facial hair, fit testing, sizing, and carefully following proper procedures for donning and doffing the mask. They must also be properly sterile before use, and disposed of after use.

As a protection against infectious diseases, it is only effective in combination with frequent and effective hand washing. Hands should be washed thoroughly before putting on the mask. The mask should not be touched during use (or hands should be washed immediately). The mask should be replaced when wet. It should be removed by taking it from the back without touching the front of the mask and then placing it into a suitable closed container before washing hands again.

​

Face masks are "designed to prevent infections in patients and treating personnel by catching bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer's mouth and nose.^([3])^([4])^([5]) They are not designed to protect the wearer from breathing in airborne bacteria or viruses whose particles are smaller.^([6]) "

​

You wear a respirator when you're a medical professional around high-risk individuals (they're a scarce resource in high demand).

You wear a face mask to not be an asshole to everyone around you.

7
Delehal•

Look for masks that have a strip of soft metal near the nose. You can use that to bend the mask so that it fits over your nose better.

I've also seen people using various do-it-yourself hacks to solve this, such as a short strip of pipe cleaner.

If your breath is coming out the nose area, that's because there's a gap there. Make the mask fit your nose and close the gap.

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
whowasthat111222•

I have this problem wearing surgical masks. If you wear an n95 mask they seem to fit better and i have not once had my glasses fog up while wearing an n95.

1
mikenugent3•

You could try a plastic face shield instead. It looks like a bit like a welder's face protection, so protects your face. I have seen ones that attach to spectacle arms as well.

1
slash178•

You could get an N95, these seal around the nose area. Alternatively you could use a defogger on your glasses. THey sell these for snorkeling and scuba diving. I hear toothpaste also works in a pinch. Honestly spit also works in a pinch.

1
DogTheBreadFairy•

I have glasses and work 40+ hours a week and wear a mask the whole time. My glasses only fog up when I'm in the walk in fridge.

All I do is set the nose pieces of my glasses on top of the mask. Problem solved.

It makes me wear the glasses a little lower than normal but it doesn't effect my vision at all and it's not low enough to slide off or anything.

I've done this with 4-5 different styles of masks and it's always worked for me since April lol

1
Curmudgy•

Get some adhesive tape, the sort intended for holding down bandages, and use a short strip to seal the top of the mask against your nose and cheeks. It’s a bit of a nuisance, especially if you’re taking it on and off multiple times, but it’s cheap and easy.

1
RadicalRamblings•

your mask should have a bendy metal nose prong thing in it, no? You formfit it exactly down to the shape of your nose. i wear glasses and a mask and do this. no fog.

1
Stinkehund1•

Get a mask with a wire that you can clamp around your nose. Problem solved.

1