Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Biometric Readings of Eye

Purpose:  To determine change in biometric values of eye after fasting and to elucidate whether this change is significant enough to delay the refractive and cataract surgeries during fasting. Study Design:  Cross sectional observational. Place and Duration of Study:  Eye department, DHQ-UTH, Gujranwala, from April 2021 to May 2021. Methods:  Thirty subjects of either gender between 20-40 years of age who participated in both phases were enrolled in this study. Phase 1 was conducted one week before Ramadan and 2nd phase in the last week of Ramadan. After routine ophthalmic examination, keratometric(K) values were obtained with Auto Ref-Keratometer (Canon), while Axial length (AL), Anterior chamber depth (ACD), andIntraocular lens power (IOLp)were obtained from Master-Vu A-scan (Sonomed, Model # MV4500). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results:  Out of 30 participants, 66.6% were female and 33.3%were male with mean age of 29.8 years. Mean K1 increased to 43.03 D during fasting from non-fasting reading of 42.24 D, while Mean K2 increased to 43.87 D during fasting from non-fasting reading of 43.28 Dwith significantp-value (<0.05). Mean ACD was 3.15mm in non-fasting that also increased to 3.21D in fasting state. Mean AL in non-fasting state was 23.41mm that remains the same in fasting state as well. Mean IOLp in non-fasting state was 21.18D that reduced to 20.42D in fasting state with significant p-value. Conclusion:  Fastingincreased thekeratometry andACD values with no effect on AL but that reduced overall intraocular lens power.