Being a student and wearing a mask during Covid can be extremely difficult
As a student that wears glasses, it has become extremely difficult to use them during Covid due to the mask. When you use a mask and you put on your glasses, your view instantly fogs and it is really hard to see. It comes to the point where you either pay attention to class or fix your glasses.
It is not only the glasses that are uncomfortable, but when you use the mask all day it causes dizziness. I imagine that students re-use the air within their masks causing them to breathe the same carbon dioxide, which is bad. Not to mention the true downside of masks, the part where it is hard to notice facial expressions because masks cover half of the face.
Some solutions for these incommodities are brought by specialists like Karina Richani, MD, an ophthalmologist providing services at UT Physicians Multispecialty. She outlines tips to wear glasses and masks at the same time, saying that “the first thing to consider is to make sure your mask fits correctly. The sides of the masks can be tightened for the best fit. If you’re wearing a surgical mask or one with a nose bridge, make sure to pinch or mold the central portion of the top of the mask to fit the shape of the nose. This will reduce the amount of air escaping.”
For this second year of the pandemic, the school had our masks made with an inside wire that goes over the nose to help us adjust it better. Still, not all masks fit well and keeping my glasses fog-free has been a challenge.
Furthermore, Lapointe Dental centers also outlines positive outcomes of wearing your mask (besides preventing Covid). Some of these benefits are that you do not smell the bad odors or inhale dust, and that it can become an added fashion accessory. For the fashion-conscious, it is a pleasure to match your mask with your outfit of the day. Plus, you can support local businesses that manufacture cloth masks by doing so!
I hope that, with almost everyone being vaccinated already and the seriousness of Covid beginning to fade, all masks will be a thing of the past. Can't wait to enjoy the freedom of a maskless face!
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