Do eye drops break the fast?

Detailed answer

No. Eye drops do not break the fast according to most scholars today, including major Islamic fiqh councils. This is true even if you notice a slight taste at the back of your throat. You can use the drops your doctor has prescribed during the day without worrying about your fast.

Why they do not break the fast

The fast is broken by eating, drinking and what is similar to them. The eye is not a passage for food or drink, and a drop is a tiny amount, smaller than the trace of water left in the mouth after rinsing in wudu. Classical scholars discussed kohl (eyeliner) in the same way, and many of them held that it does not break the fast even when its taste is felt in the throat.

Some scholars hold that if the taste of the drops clearly reaches the throat, the fast should be made up; if you are unsure, ask a trusted local scholar.

In practice

• Keep using your drops as prescribed. Never stop medication without speaking to your doctor.
• If the timing is flexible, take some of the doses at suhoor and after iftar.
• Gently pressing the inner corner of the eye for a minute after the drops reduces how much drains into the nose and throat. Your doctor or pharmacist can show you how.

What if my eye condition is serious?

For conditions such as glaucoma or an eye infection, drops may need to be used on a strict schedule. That is fine. Follow the advice of your doctor, ideally one who understands fasting. If you are unwell enough that fasting becomes a burden, remember that "Allah intends ease for you, not hardship" (Al-Baqarah 2:185). See also taking medication in Ramadan.

Related questions

Drops in other places follow slightly different rules, because the ear and the nose are connected to the throat in different ways. Read do ear drops break the fast and does nasal spray break the fast.