Hangnails. Running out of toilet paper (before you sat down). Someone snapping their gum. If you were to look up a list of the most moderately annoying things, you’d definitely find safety glasses that continually fog.
We’re all used to the annoying feature of sunglasses or eyeglasses that fog on occasion, but safety glasses that fog present a unique eye risk. If you have to remove your safety glasses to wipe down fog, they can’t keep you safe, can they?
At Stoggles, we love safety, and we hate fog, at least the kind that collects on your glasses, making it impossible to see. We’re going to share with you why your glasses fog in the first place and give you a few tips on how to keep them fog-resistant. We’ll also cover a few other unique features your safety glasses should have to give your eyes ultimate protection.
WTF? (What The Fog?)
What’s causing the fog in the first place? Sometimes it seems like you can wear your glasses all day without so much of a hint of condensation. Other days, it seems you spend your entire workday wiping your glasses on your shirt.
Why It Happens
Fog happens when warm air hits a cool surface and forms condensation. The warm air has moisture in it that naturally liquefies when it hits the cooler surface of your glasses.
This is also the reason why breathing on the lens of your glasses and cleaning them with your shirt works; your hot breath creates condensation on the lens, which helps you wipe away grime (while simultaneously putting grime from your shirt back onto the lens).
When Does It Happen?
Fog on your lenses can happen anytime there’s an opportunity for hot air to hit the cold lens of your glasses. If the temp of your lenses is relatively close to the air temperature, you likely won’t experience fog.
In some situations, fog is an absolute guarantee.
- Exercising (biking, rowing, etc.) with safety glasses on while you’re breathing heavily
- Walking from warm to cool rooms or vice versa
- Transitioning from indoors to outdoors
- Turning the heat or air conditioning on in your vehicle
When the seasons change, or when you visit your grandparents in Florida who keep their thermostat firmly planted on 80, you’re going to run into a foggy situation with your glasses.
When It’s a Problem
Foggy glasses are always a problem, but there are times when they are more than just an annoyance. When safety glasses fog and you remove them to wipe them down, the issue is twofold:
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Your eyes are no longer protected. Most of us don’t think to remove ourselves from the potential eye risk before we remove our glasses. That means we remove our glasses while we are still near the eye risk — an unsafe situation for sure.
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You’re taken off task. Whether you’re doing yard work or utilizing a power tool at work, being taken off task leaves room for mistakes and accidents that could involve your eyes and other parts of your body.
Even though it might only seem annoying, foggy glasses can cost you your vision and injuries that are completely unnecessary. If you think accidents are rare, you’d be surprised to learn how common they really are.
How Common Are Eye Injuries?
Eye injuries happen more frequently than you expect. According to the CDC, there are more than 2,000 per day. These injuries are more than just a speck of dust in the eye that needs rinsing. Many of them result in a trip to the ER, and of those, about one-third result in missed time from work (read: missed pay, insurance bills, scratchy hospital sheets).
The good news? Experts say they are 98% preventable by simply wearing safety glasses and wearing them correctly. That means keeping them firmly strapped to your face with zero need to remove them to wipe away the fog.
If your head’s in a fog because of your safety glasses, it’s time to learn how to cut through the steam.
Four Tips To Keep Your Safety Glasses Fog-Free
Fogging happens for scientific reasons, and the best way to battle science is with more science.
Here are four super-sciency ways to ditch the mist with a twist:
1. Dish Soap
Is there anything that America’s favorite little blue dish soap can’t do? Dish soap has some serious fighting power, from dishes to stains to cleaning up wildlife harmed in oil spills — dish soap does it all.
As it turns out, a dash of dish soap on your lenses might help keep them fog-free, at least for a little while. The secret? Glycerin. Glycerin inside the dish soap isn’t easily washed away, creating a thin film on your glasses that helps prevent them from fogging.
To try this method, apply a small drop of dish soap to each lens and rub it gently on the entire surface before rinsing. Then allow your glasses to air dry.
Unfortunately, this method of anti-fogging doesn’t last that long. Once you’ve been exposed to warm air a few times, you’ll need to re-wash with more dish soap. Unfortunately, carrying a bottle of dish soap in your purse or backpack just looks weird.
Plus, this trick can potentially damage the anti-fog coating on your safety goggles. For that reason, we recommend passing on this one unless it’s a last resort.
2. Shaving Cream
The same principle applies here that applies to soap. Shaving cream that contains glycerin (most do) will help keep your glasses fog-free for a while if you apply it in the same way you do the soap. Place a little drop on each lens, rub it in, then rinse and allow it to air dry.
3. Anti-Fog Sprays and Drops
These are quick solutions that you can keep with you and are 100% more portable (and socially acceptable) than a bottle of dish soap or shaving cream.
Anti-fog drops generally work better than most at-home remedies because they contain a chemical similar to what is applied to anti-fogging glasses. This chemical minimizes surface tension, which results in a non-scattering, thin film of water instead of actual droplets.
The result? You don’t see any fog. Anti-fog wipes work in the same way as the drops.
The problem with both anti-fog drops and wipes is that they aren’t a permanent fix. You’ll still have to take time out to treat your glasses, although probably not as frequently as you would if you’re just trying a soap or shaving cream method.
For serious anti-fog protection, you want anti-fog coated lenses.
4. Anti-Fog Lenses
Anti-fog lenses are an absolute must-have. These types of lenses have been coated with a permanent anti-fog chemical that naturally breaks the surface tension and reduces and/or eliminates fog.
While anti-fog coating will eventually wear down, you’ll get a lot more use out of these treatments, and it will be much easier for you to avoid fog if your glasses are professionally treated during the manufacturing process.
All Stoggles safety eyewear comes pretreated with an anti-fog coating, so you never have to worry about removing them to wipe them down. The high-quality lenses are dipped in an anti-fog solution, leaving a thicker coating that lasts longer. This gives our lenses an advantage over goggles that receive an anti-fog spray treatment.
Safety specs that don’t fog are just the tip of the eyes-burg when it comes to cool safety features. Let’s talk about a few other ways you can level up your protection.
Other Safety Features You Need Right Now
It goes without saying your safety glasses should have other properties that help keep your eyes safe, but anti-fog coating isn’t the only feature that gives them superpowers. At Stoggles, we outfit our eyewear with features you didn’t even know you needed (until now).
Blue Light Blocking Technology
Ever heard of blue light? It’s similar to UV light in that it is a short, powerful wavelength of light that can travel right through your cornea into your retina (where your vision happens).
Blue light is emitted from the sun but also from devices like LED televisions, tablets, and smartphones. The reason researchers are concerned with blue light is because of the extreme amount of exposure most of us have.
It’s suspected that blue light can contribute to Computer Vision Syndrome, an eye-related issue that may cause:
- Blurred vision
- Watery, irritated eyes
- Redness
- Eye strain
- Eye fatigue
- Headaches
What we don’t know are the long-term effects of blue eyes on our retinas. Could blue light negatively impact our vision or increase our risk of developing macular degeneration? There’s a definite possibility.
That’s why protecting your eyes from blue light is so important. You can protect your eyes from blue light by purchasing safety glasses that also have blue light blocking technology. These lenses filter out harmful blue light and keep your eyes safe, whether you’re outside or inside.
Speaking of outside…
UV Protection
Not all safety glasses offer UV protection, and you’ll need it whether or not you are working outside.
UV rays can damage your eyes, aging them faster and potentially causing cataracts or cancer. Wearing your sunglasses underneath your safety glasses is probably the least comfortable thing you can do (not to mention really awkward-looking).
Instead, opt for safety glasses that have UV protection. All Stoggles are crafted from polycarbonate material, which is naturally UV blocking without any tinting. So you can see clearly without risking harmful UV rays directly into your eyeballs.
Shatter Resistance
If you’re wearing safety glasses, you need them to be shatterproof. A rock from your lawnmower or a stray nail at work can mean losing your vision permanently. The gold standard for shatter-resistant protection is the ANSI Z87.1-2020 certification.
When your glasses meet this standard, you can trust they’ve passed two important challenges:
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High velocity test. A ball bearing (think bullet-like object) is fired at the safety glasses to make sure they don’t break.
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High impact test. A heavy weight is dropped on the glasses. To pass the test, they can’t shatter like teenage emotions.
Talk about test anxiety, right?? Glasses that have passed these feats of strength can be relied upon to take excellent care of your eyes in any situation where debris could take flight.
Style and Comfort
Surprised? We don’t think you should be. At Stoggles, we think PPE, like protective eyewear, should be something you want to wear, which arguably makes you more compliant in wearing it. That’s why we never force you to choose between safety vs. style vs. comfort.
Our safety eyewear is available in numerous different frame shapes, colors, and sizes, so you can get a completely customizable look that you’ll feel good about wearing. Plus, they’re so lightweight and comfy that at some point, you’ll probably accidentally wear them into the shower.
Clear the Fog, With Stoggles
Glasses that fog are so 2020. Level up your protection game and grab the only safety eyewear that gives you ultimate protection in 360-style you’ll love wearing. Stoggles make it easy for you to protect your vision and your reputation as a trendsetter at the same time.
Sources:
How to Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up While Wearing a Mask | Cleveland Clinic
Eye Safety Tool Box Talk - Instructor's Guide | NIOSH | CDC
Research progress about the effect and prevention of blue light on eyes | PMC
How to Keep Glasses from Fogging With a Mask: 6 Helpful Tips | Healthline
The Sun, UV Light and Your Eyes | American Academy of Ophthalmology