This grade answers one narrow question: how strong is the public evidence and safety record behind this drug, and how clean is its money trail and court record? It is not a verdict on whether the drug is right for you.
Dorzolamide Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is indicated in the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma. Dorzolamide Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma. ( 1 )
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 )
Sulfonamide Hypersensitivity ( 5.1 ) Bacterial Keratitis ( 5.2 ) Corneal Endothelium ( 5.3 ) Allergic Reactions ( 5.4 ) Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma ( 5.5 ) 5.1 Sulfonamide Hypersensitivity Dorzolamide Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution contains dorzolamide, a sulfonamide; and although administered topically, it is absorbed systemically. Therefore, the same types of adverse reactions that are attributable to sulfonamides may occur with topical administration of Dorzolamide Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution. Fatalities have occurred, although rarely, due to severe reactions to sulfonamides including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, fulminant hepatic necrosis, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, and other blood dyscrasias. Sensitization may recur when a sulfonamide is readministered irrespective of the route of administration. If signs of serious reactions or hypersensitivity occur, discontinue the use of this preparation [see Contraindications ( 4 )]. 5.2 Bacterial Keratitis There have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products. These containers had been inadvertently contaminated by patien...
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 Sagent Pharmaceuticals at 1-866-625-1618 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...
Source: FDA SPL label for Dorzolamide Hydrochloride (Sagent Pharmaceuticals), effective 20260109. Full label on DailyMed.
These are counts of reports people filed, not rates of harm. Anyone can file one, and nobody checks whether the drug was the cause. Millions of doses are taken for every report sent, so the useful part is how this drug compares with the average across all drugs.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 823 | 2,614 | 552 | 612 | 737 | 734 | 785 | 380 |
1,807 reports blaming this drug for every million Medicare prescriptions filled, which is 0.7× the typical drug on this site. (1,898 reports in 2024–2026, against 1,050,631 Medicare fills in one year. This is the one number here that accounts for how many people take the drug.)
Source: the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports are voluntary and unverified. Drugs that are prescribed a lot, in the news, or in lawsuits attract more reports, so the percentages are compared with the whole database to correct for that partly, not fully.
Counts measure how much evidence exists and how transparent it is, not how big the benefit is. For that, ask your prescriber: if 100 people like me took this, how many would get better because of it, and how many would be harmed? (Doctors call these the "number needed to treat" and "number needed to harm.") It differs by condition and is the number drug ads leave out. Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov.
In 2024, drug companies reported $0 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 0 transactions.
No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.
Not named in any federal pharmaceutical settlement of $100M or more on record.
Sources: CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act); Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation pending docket list; DOJ settlements as tabulated on Wikipedia with links to the primary record. State-court and individual suits are not included.
Same ATC pharmacological class, graded ones first, best grade at the top. Being in the same class does not make them interchangeable for your condition; it makes them worth asking about.