I don’t know about you, but for those of us who are visually challenged and require glasses to get through our day, the growing demand for protective Face Mask coverage is starting to almost feel counterproductive in the attempt to keep possible exposure to the Corona-virus Covid-19 at bay.  If it’s not the safety concern that comes along with the hazards of our  extra set of ‘eyes’ fogging up when simply breathing, then its the constant readjustment of both our necessary specs and their now accompanying face mask, that surely brings forbidden fingers all over our faces. From our eyes down to our mouths sometimes, the compromise in complying has demanded a better way and design. And while we might not be stepping into the cold outdoors  (which surely brings on the fog), the hot days of summer are soon approaching leaving us to be met with air-conditioned buildings, so how can we win? After a couple weeks of settling and a few more in my sewing lab exploring various face mask design options, I put what I learned to the test. And while I concluded no design offered 100% effectiveness against the inconvenience of it all, there were a few face mask life hacks that I discovered, starting with a nose clip and ending with a twist.

Dan Formosa, a designer with extensive experience in creating medical masks, explained that the whole glasses-fogging-up issue is a common problem in mask design. “Every time you take a breath, you let out half a liter of air into the atmosphere. Very few masks—even professionally designed ones—create a perfect seal around the face.” he stated in one article. “When there are gaps on the bridge of the nose and upper cheeks, this hot air comes out of your nose and mouth, fogging up the glasses.” Formosa says that DIY masks, made with things like bandannas or T-shirts, make it even harder to prevent air from escaping upward. “It’s very hard to create a flat seal around the nose area, in particular, because the physiology of people’s noses varies so widely,” he says. “This fogging is annoying, but it could also be dangerous as it often prompts the wearer to touch his or her face to adjust or wipe their glasses, which could increase the risk of transmitting the virus from the fingers to the face. With this in mind, I exchanged my previous ‘accordion’ styled mask for the ‘cup like’ style that factored in a metal clip at the nose.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #1: THE METAL BRIDGE CLIP

In medical masks, like the N95, there is sometimes a metal nose clip that allows you to create a better seal around your nose to prevent moisture from entering or leaving the mask. If you have a homemade mask, you can try to create a similar mechanism by incorporating a metal piece that can be adjusted to the shape of your nose. Some people have been using pipe cleaners or paperclips while others have recommended using the metal fasteners that are typically used to keep papers together in a paper folder. You can incorporate these into some DIY mask designs for a better fit at the top. However, it is important to be very careful here, since these metal pieces will be very close to your eyes and could cause a serious accident if they get dislodged.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #2: ABSORB THE MOISTURE

One solution is to create an absorbent layer between your nose and your eyes to effectively soak up any moisture before it can fog up your glasses. A folded-up piece of tissue paper or paper towel could do the trick. This was an idea that circulated around Japan, where people commonly wear masks throughout the year to reduce the spread of illnesses. The problem here is that it can be a little annoying to try to keep the tissue in place, and it may cause you to keep touching your face to readjust it or keep it from falling off. If you really want to keep the tissue in place, it’s suggested that you uses medical or standard white athletic tape directly to the nose.  Don’t use nonporous household tapes like packing tape or duct tape, which could irritate skin. Taping is a lot of work for a short trip outside, but might be warranted if you’re caring for a sick person.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #3: RINSE LENSES WITH SOAPY WATER

One simple solution mentioned in the journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of England suggests washing your glasses with soapy water, which will leave a thin film on the surface. That creates what’s called a “surfactant effect,” which makes it less likely that air will condense on the lens. The effect doesn’t last indefinitely, so you will find yourself regularly washing your glasses if you want to use this approach. The residue tends to act as an anti-fog for at least for a half hour or so. After rinsing, simply allow your glasses to air dry as opposed to towel drying for the desired results.  Worth the try, especially since its quick, easy and FREE. Other suggested alternatives to soap are toothpaste and shaving cream, both of which claim to have  a similar benefit but with less proven results. The only stumbling block in this life hack is that often times lenses are treated with special protective coatings that resist glare, smudges, and UV rays preventing any soap residue from remaining.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #4: TREAT YOUR GLASSES WITH CHEMICALS

You could treat your glasses with a chemical that will reduce misting. As an alternative to soap and water,  you could use anti-fog solution like Fog Tech, Fog Gone by Optix,55, Fog Free and Zclear Paste that prevent condensation. The downside here is that you will be exposing yourself to chemicals, some of which are known to cause eye irritation.  Plus they’re not free and some can be somewhat pricey.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #5: REMOVE YOUR FILTER OR TRY A THINNER FABRIC

“A lot of breath escaping and fogging up your glasses might mean that your mask doesn’t allow adequate airflow, ” Joel Burken, Ph.D, chair of the department of civil, architectural and environment engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, told the TODAY show during an interview. ” If you’re using a filter, try one that allows more air to flow through.” Burken’s preliminary research found that HEPA filters work best. If your mask is homemade and you can remove a layer of fabric from it, try that. You can also make a mask with a lighter , breathable, yet protective seasonal material like a summer weight cotton. To check if it’s thick enough, hold it up to the light. If you can see individual fibers in the fabric, then it’s probably not the best material for the job.

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #6: CREATE SPACE FOR AIR TWIST

Another solution is to allow air to escape from the side of the mask or the cheek area, rather than the top. The downside of this approach is that it often creates a lot less coverage, which makes the mask less effective at catching droplets from your mouth and preventing them from landing on the ground, or the person you’re interacting with at the grocery store. But if you can manipulate a standard accordion styled mask in a way that allows air to billow out and escape from the sides, it is less likely to come out from the top and interfere with your glasses. One technique in doing this is to alter how your mask ties are secured around your head fashioned  like below. In this way, you are still following current best practices while redirecting the flow. Think of this hack as a tie with a twist! Oh, and by the way…this one worked for me like a charm!

FACE MASK LIFE HACK #7: THE OLD ‘SPEC HOLD’ TRICK

As a last resort, you can try pushing your glasses forward down onto your nose to allow more air to circulate and stop the fog, or push the top of your face mask up under your frames so that the exiting air bypasses your lenses altogether. The downside to this is that by moving your glasses away from your eyes, your vision can also become distorted. This technique might prove less disruptive with a weaker strength prescription.

IN CONCLUSION…

While none of these solutions are perfect, and each comes with their individual trade-offs, the ideas led to more feasible options than I had before. I’m hoping my discovery helps my fellow four-eye readers of this article  the same as we strive to get  through the next few weeks or months.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

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Face Mask Life Hacks For the Visually Challenged was posted at J&O Fabrics Store Newsletter Blog. | https://www.jandofabrics.com/blog