  We analyze a simple and feasible practical scheme displaying Zeno, anti-Zeno,
and inverse-Zeno effects in the observation of wave-packet spreading caused by
free evolution. The scheme is valid both in spatial diffraction of classical
optical waves and in time diffraction of a quantum wave packet. In the optical
realization, diffraction spreading is observed by placing slits between a light
source and a light-power detector. We show that the occurrence of Zeno or
anti-Zeno effects depends just on the frequency of observations between the
source and detector. These effects are seen to be related to the diffraction
mode theory in Fabry-Perot resonators.
