A BALLARAT optometrist warns there could be more than the foggy feeling that meets the eye when it comes to health concerns for bespectacled mask-wearers.
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Mr Fairbanks has found patients with limited peripheral vision and said it would only be a matter of time before falls occur across the city.
Mask wearing outside the house became mandatory for regional Victorians a week ago and Mr Fairbanks urged people to take more care in wearing them because things really could look different.
"Most people who are young and healthy, steady on their feet, do not look down when they're walking - they might look ahead or talk to a friend," Mr Fairbanks said. "Everyone needs to be more mindful. We're not aware of areas we're blind to."
Mr Fairbanks said people wearing multi-focals were also at risk of masks throwing out their vision by pushing frames up so normal sight became distance focused - and not ideal or safe when masking up and driving, even short distances.
Prolonged fogging could also lead to dry eyes and, in turn, this could cause blurring or a bacterial infection.
"It depends on facial anatomy and the shape of the bridge of the nose. Some people also breathe more forcefully and the air doesn't escape properly," Mr Fairbanks said. "The main issue is usually the slight gap between the mask and the skin between the cheek and the bridge of the nose."
His key tips for people struggling to see in foggy conditions are: adjust the nose-pads for those who have them on their frames, to aim the breathe away; consider investing in a shallow frame or, if wearing multi-focals, getting a distance pair for driving; try anti-fog sprays; and, lubricating drops for dry eyes, especially those wearing masks and staring at screens for long periods of time.
He said the popular tip to wipe a little dish-wash detergent on the lenses had mixed results.
But a Ballarat mother-daughter duo may have a solution all stitched up.
The team behind newborn and toddler clothing brand Charlie and I Boutique has started sewing "glasses-friendly" masks.
Creator Sam said her mum Jenny, the sewer behind the brand, said they had to find an alternative to combat the fog. Their pattern has extra material fitted at the bridge of the nose to prevent that upward puff of air from fogging lenses.
"Mum was struggling. She wears masks all the time," Sam said. "It's pretty much similar to what we had but there's an additional piece of material and the glasses put weight on the material. We've said it reduces fog and that's what we've found so far, from what people have said."
If in doubt, Mr Fairbanks encouraged people to visit their optometrist to ensure they were not putting their long-term vision and eye health at risk.
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