Dorzolamide: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Dorzolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for open-angle glaucoma. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor
- Treats (across its forms)
- Open-Angle Glaucoma
- Available as
- Solution · Drops
- Sold as
- 2 products — Dorzolamide Hydrochloride and Trusopt
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $0.87 per ml — not your price
How dorzolamide is dosed
From the FDA label for Dorzolamide Hydrochloride (application ANDA204778). Other dorzolamide products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The dose is one drop of dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution in the affected eye(s) three times daily. Dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower intraocular pressure. If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least five minutes apart. The dose is one drop of dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution in the affected eye(s) three times daily. Dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower intraocular pressure. ( 2 )
Dorzolamide side effects
The most frequently reported adverse reactions associated with dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution were ocular burning, stinging, or discomfort immediately following ocular administration (approximately one-third of patients). Approximately one-quarter of patients noted a bitter taste following administration. Superficial punctate keratitis occurred in 10 to 15% of patients and signs and symptoms of ocular allergic reaction in approximately 10%. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Micro Labs USA, Inc. at 1-855-839-8195 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Controlled Clinical Trials: The most frequent adverse reactions associated with dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution were ocular burning, stinging, or discomfort immediately following ocular administration (approximately one-third of patients). Approximately one-quarter of patients noted a bitter taste following administration. Superficial punctate keratitis occurred in 10 to 15% of patients and signs and symptoms of ocular allergic reaction in approximately 10%. Reactions occurring in…
Who shouldn’t take dorzolamide
Dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any component of this product [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. Dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any component of this product. ( 4 , 5.1 )
Dorzolamide drug interactions
Potential additive effect of oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor with dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution. ( 7.1 ) Potential acid-base and electrolyte disturbances. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Oral Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors There is a potential for an additive effect on the known systemic effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibition in patients receiving an oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution. The concomitant administration of dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution and oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors is not recommended. 7.2 High-Dose Salicylate Therapy Although acid-base and electrolyte disturbances were not reported in the clinical trials with dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, these disturbances have been reported with oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and have, in some instances, resulted in drug interactions (e.g., toxicity associated with high-dose salicylate therapy). Therefore, the potential for such drug interactions should be considered in patients receiving dorzolamide hydrochloride ophthalmic solution.
Every dorzolamide product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Solution | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Drops | Generic | $1 | View → |
Combination products containing dorzolamide
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
Dorzolamide recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long dorzolamide keeps
No dorzolamide label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does dorzolamide expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsDorzolamide and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for dorzolamide: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadLimited experience with the use of ophthalmic dorzolamide indicate that it is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant. French guidelines recommend ophthalmic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drops as a preferred therapy for glaucoma during breastfeeding. To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised October 18, 2021. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about dorzolamide
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 3,575 reports naming dorzolamide, and the FDA flagged 49% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- eye irritation343 reports
- eye pain259 reports
- treatment failure258 reports
- fatigue204 reports
- glaucoma184 reports
- headache177 reports
- vision blurred175 reports
- ocular hyperaemia171 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean dorzolamide caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is dorzolamide?
Dorzolamide Hydrochloride is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used to treat Open-Angle Glaucoma.
What kind of drug is dorzolamide?
The FDA classifies dorzolamide as a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. These block the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which normally helps the body recycle bicarbonate. In the kidneys this flushes more bicarbonate, sodium, and water into the urine, and in the eye it cuts production of the fluid that builds up pressure, which is why they treat conditions like glaucoma and altitude sickness. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take dorzolamide with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run dorzolamide against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is dorzolamide sold under?
We track 2 dorzolamide-containing products in the U.S.: Dorzolamide Hydrochloride and Trusopt. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does dorzolamide come in?
Across the brands we track, dorzolamide is currently marketed as solution and drops, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic dorzolamide?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic dorzolamide product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has dorzolamide been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 1 recall record whose product description mentions dorzolamide. The most recent: Dorzolamide HCl and Timolol Maleate Ophthalmic Solution (Jul 22, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Dorzolamide: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/dorzolamide
- MLA
- “Dorzolamide: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/dorzolamide.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for dorzolamide on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.