Foggy lenses create a foggy situation
AUSTIN (KXAN) — It can happen when you move from indoors to outdoors. It can even happen inside when you go from one room to another. Some people might consider it to be a nuisance.
People who wear glasses are familiar with this. Their lenses get foggy. It can happen to athletic or prescription sunglasses. It happens to those who wear regular eyeglasses.
Why? Simple.
It's the condensation that forms on the lenses. It's not just the moisture that causes the glasses to fog but also temperature changes.
What's more is that dirt, grime and even scratches can enhance the fog.
Dirt and grime? Scratches? They give the condensation more to cling to, so it is suggested you keep those specs clean. Wipe off those fingerprints off your lenses.
Other potential culprits include the debris that builds up during the day, including dust, skin oil and skin flakes. Sitting your glasses down with the lenses touching a surface is another contributing factor.
There is science behind this. Condensation lands on glasses when water vapor from the humidity lands on a cold surface. Say you're wearing your glasses indoors, or even in your automobile, in the air conditioning where the low humidity is low. You then step outdoors into a more humid airmass and, presto, you can't see anything because the fog has quickly made its way to those peepers. The water vapor changes to very small liquid drops forming a film that is seen as fog.
It's not just the more humid air that can cause this but also your sweat and your breath.
Glasses will be more susceptible to fog when the humidity is high. Here in Central Texas, this has been noticed frequently during this June heat wave when the dew points, that measure of moisture, has been in the 70s making our air very humid. Drier air will minimize, if not completely eliminate the chance that your glasses will fog.
But if the humidity is high enough, it could even happen in the fall and winter. In the cooler/colder times of the year, there's a pretty good chance those lenses will be cooler. The warmness of your breath can contribute to foggy lenses.
Glass lenses will fog more than most other lenses. Plastic and polycarbonate lenses will resist fogging more than glass. Eyeglasses that are treated with an anti-reflective coating will not only minimize glare but also resist fogging.
Earlier you learned that dirt and smudges can help exacerbate the onset of fog. This is why you should wash those lenses with soapy water. Clean lenses are happy lenses. Even better is a reliable lens cleaner with that specialized cloth. You can usually find them at your opticians.
Don't use rubbing alcohol. It will cause damage to that anti-glare coating you added when you purchased those glasses.
Make sure your glasses are adjusted to fit well but to also allow more airflow around the lenses. Adjustments to the nose pads or the arms even a little can make a difference.
You might not completely get rid of having your lenses fog, but you can minimize those effects by simply taking care of them.