Downhill skiing is a potentially dangerous sport made more dangerous when fogged eyewear impairs your vision. Without clear vision, you are unable to examine snow conditions, spot the next mogul and see to avoid trees and other skiers. Fog on your eyewear occurs when heat and moisture radiating from your body contacts your cold lenses. While nothing you do will eliminate all fogging under all skiing conditions, there are procedures, products and household items that can greatly reduce the instances of fogging.
Step 1
Clean your glasses with a lens-cleaning solution and scratch-free cloth, then dry them.
Step 2
Apply a commercial anti-fogging product or a household fluid with anti-fogging properties to your eyewear lenses. Household options include liquid soap, potato juice, shaving cream and toothpaste containing no baking soda, which is abrasive. Use any towelette, wipe or cloth packaged with the commercial product. Otherwise, use a scratch-free cloth. With a household fluid, use a scratch-free cloth.
Step 3
Wipe anti-fogging household fluid from the lenses carefully, leaving a thin film. Working outward in a circular motion usually works best.
Step 4
Put on a headband that soaks up sweat and wicks it away to the sides.
Step 5
Don outerwear as needed for warmth. Avoid overdressing, as the increased heat from your body can radiate to your eyewear, causing the lenses to fog. Don't wear more cold-weather protection than necessary on your head, face and neck. When possible, store your ski mask in a jacket pocket.
Step 6
Pull your eyewear down your nose a little as soon as you stop skiing. This creates space between your eyewear and your brow. Turn your head from side to side.
Step 7
Add properly fitting vented ski goggles over your glasses If they still fog.
Step 8
Specify an anti-fog coating when ordering prescription eyewear.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid touching your glasses or goggles with your fingers. Replacing your glasses with a pair of ski goggles with prescription lenses or lens inserts, vents and a fan solves issues related to eyeglass fogging on ski slopes. Sports glasses with vents in the frames and air holes in the lenses help control fogging. Glasses with an upper sweat bar on the frame are effective at reducing fogging.
- Look for warnings on anti-fogging product labels regarding using the product on coated glass or plastic. Some anti-foggers remove coatings and dull the plastic. If your eyewear lenses are plastic and you are trying a household fluid as an anti-fogger, make sure it contains nothing abrasive. Some commercial anti-fogging preparations require an hour for drying after application to avoid eye irritation. Avoid placing your eyewear on top of your head. Moisture rising from your head can fog the lenses.
Things You'll Need
- Lens cleaning solution
- Soft scratch-free cloths
- Anti-fogging fluid
- Applicator
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