Fluorescein Angiography and Fast

25th April 2016

 السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question. Does Fluorescein angiography test break one’s fast?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer

Fluorescein angiography is an eye test that uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid, the two layers situated in the back of the eye. During this process, the patient is given eye drops for enlarging the pupil just enough to see the two back layers.[1] The Hanafi jurists do not consider putting medicine or applying anything into the eyes as a breaker of the fast even though the taste is felt in the throat.[2] The companions are reported to have applied Surma (antimony) whilst fasting, hence permissible.[3] The similar ruling can apply to fluorescein angiography as well so in principle it should not break the fast.

 

[Allãh Knows Best]

 

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003846.htm

[2] Fatawa hindiyyah Kitāb Sawm Bāb Ma yufsidu Sawm wa ma lā Yufsidu p. 224 vol 1

وَلَوْ أَقْطَرَ شَيْئًا مِنْ الدَّوَاءِ فِي عَيْنِهِ لَا يُفْطِرُ صَوْمَهُ عِنْدَنَا، وَإِنْ وَجَدَ طَعْمَهُ فِي حَلْقِهِ

[3] Abū Dāwood No:2378

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ،اَنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْتَحِلُ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ