title: The effects of Ramadan fasting on the health and function of the eye.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ramadan fasting may alter a variety of physiological parameters which by themselves influence ocular system. Here, we review the effects of Ramadan fasting on the health and function of the eye.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature records in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Iran Medex databases as well as proceedings of related meetings from January 1986 to March 2014 were systematically reviewed. The search key words was based on the terms "Ramadan Fasting," "Ramadan," "Islamic Fasting," "Fasting in Ramadan" accompanied with one of the eye, tear drop, myopia, intraocular pressure (IOP), tear break up time, basal tear secretion, refractive error, and visual acuity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Predawn water loading and dehydration in the evening are shown to increase and decrease IOP and tear secretion, respectively. Ocular blood flow is changed in Ramadan fasting, and patients with ocular vein occlusion may experience more frequent attacks. There are no or minimal fluctuations in visual acuity and refractive errors, but most of them are decompensated after Ramadan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the influence of fasting in different eye parameters is evaluated in several studies, there are no or only limited studies conducted on patients suffering from glaucoma, damage to ophthalmic vasculature, tear dysfunction, and minimal visual acuity. Such studies are required to make a definite decision before fasting is declared harmless to these patients.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Javadi
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahsan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Assadi
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Einollahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Torfeh General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein Mohammad
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Rabei
authors.affiliation: Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afarid
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Assadi
keywords: Eye; Ramadan; fasting; intraocular pressure; refractive errors; visual acuity