Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, everyone’s had to get used to masks, but those with glasses have also had to adjust to regularly fogging lenses.
Though mask mandates are dwindling across the country, it doesn’t mean they are gone for good. Masks are still useful to prevent other viruses, as they significantly reduce the germs a person can spread. They also help alleviate the impact of seasonal allergies.
While dealing with fogged-up glasses can be an annoyance, this doesn’t mean you have to stop wearing masks when you need them. Consider LASIK for more mask-wearing convenience.
Why Do Glasses Fog Up With Masks?
Even without a mask, when you walk outside in cooler air, and then move inside to warmer, you may find that your glasses fog up. This is because when warm air meets a cold surface (such as your glasses lenses), condensation forms.
Your breath is regularly warmer than the surface of your glasses. When you’re wearing a mask, your exhalations are redirected closer to your lenses. “The moisture condenses and accumulates on the glass just like the steam from the shower does on your mirror,” Ron Pelton, president of the Colorado Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, explained to NBC. While others have found and shared clever tricks to stop glasses from fogging up, LASIK surgery may be able to eliminate the inconvenience altogether.
What is LASIK?
A form of refractive surgery, LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is designed to correct several vision problems, including nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism.
LASIK is the most common procedure for treating nearsightedness. During a LASIK procedure, a laser reshapes the eye’s cornea to improve vision. Patients rarely experience pain during or after their procedure, and full vision recovery can be expected after a couple of days, at most.
Why Not Go With Contacts?
If you don’t want to deal with glasses fogging up with a mask, you may be thinking about contact lenses instead. But wearing contacts with your mask can increase symptoms of discomfort in the eye, including dry eyes.
Is LASIK Right for Me?
If you have a prescription for your glasses or contacts, LASIK might be right for you. Consultation with your eye doctor will be the best way to determine whether and how LASIK can help, but there are a few things that may hinder your ability to undergo a LASIK procedure, such as:
- Prescription-strength – If you have a strong prescription or an extreme case of myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, you may not qualify.
- Poor eye health – If your eyes are not generally healthy, then doctors may not be able to perform LASIK.
- Age – Your eyes need to be fully developed for LASIK to be effective, so those under 18 will have to wait.
- Overall health – Conditions such as diabetes or auto-immune disorders could impact your healing process, and may disqualify you for LASIK.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding – These can affect a mother’s eyesight, making it important to wait until after breastfeeding is complete to undergo the procedure.
If you do not fit into these categories, you may be able to receive LASIK, and experience fog-free mask-wearing!
Talk to the experts at Eye Consultants of Atlanta to learn more about LASIK, and learn if it is right for you. You can schedule an appointment with us online today, or call us at (404) 351-2020.