RESUMEN
Purpose: To study the effects of fasting on tear production, visual acuity and intraocular pressure on adults males. Sixty-four eyes from 32 healthy, male adults aged 22 years to 60 years, were enrolled in the study. Two groups representing young to middle-aged adults and older-aged adults were included. All subjects enrolled in the study were surveyed over two time points. The first time point represented the time when fasting began and was of a duration of 12 to 15 hours. The second time point represented the non-fasting sampling point. Fasting and non-fasting testing and examination was carried out one day apart on the same participants. Subjects were tested at the same time of day, by the same examiner, using the same technique and equipment. Fasting was found to effect tear production with a decrease of 2.4 mm to 4.9 mm in the respective age groups. Fasting did not effect the intraocular pressure or the visual acuity to a significant extent in either age group. The effect of fasting on tear production does not have a significant effect on subjects with normal tear production. However, in those subjects with borderline tear production, or in those subjects displaying the manifestations of dry eye syndrome, ocular hydration and tear film maintenance should ideally be supplemented by an apptication of topical formulation'Further studies are recommended in fasting individuals identified as suffering from dry eye complaints