What is the ruling on using eye drops and ointment for the eye while fasting?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Also, what is the ruling on eye drops and ointment for the eye?
The Shaykh : There is no harm in the fasting person applying kohl, putting drops in his eye, and putting drops in his ear as well. Even if he finds the taste of it in his throat, he does not break his fast with this, because it is not eating or drinking, nor is it the equivalent of eating and drinking. The evidence is that the prohibition was only mentioned regarding eating and drinking, so what is not in their meaning is not included with them. This is what we have mentioned, and it is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is the correct position.
The presenter : Yes.
The Shaykh : There is no harm in the fasting person applying kohl, putting drops in his eye, and putting drops in his ear as well. Even if he finds the taste of it in his throat, he does not break his fast with this, because it is not eating or drinking, nor is it the equivalent of eating and drinking. The evidence is that the prohibition was only mentioned regarding eating and drinking, so what is not in their meaning is not included with them. This is what we have mentioned, and it is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is the correct position.
The presenter : Yes.
Source
ابن العثيمين - فتاوى الصيام — archive.org (10:14)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.