Do Dorzolamide Eye Drops Come In A Preservative-Free Form?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses eye drops for glaucoma that are available in preservative-free forms.
Please tell me if the drug, "Dorzolamide HCI Ophthalmic Solution 2%" comes in a preservative free form? Thank you!
Nov 07, 2022- Dorzolamide eye drops are only available with benzalkonium chloride preservative and do not come in a preservative-free form. If you need a preservative-free option, Cosopt PF combines dorzolamide with timolol in single-use containers, or your doctor may recommend other preservative-free alternatives like Zioptan or Timoptic Ocudose. Talk with your doctor about which option would work best for your glaucoma treatment.
Answer
Dorzolamide 2% eye drops, unfortunately, do not come in a preservative-free form. It is manufactured by several different companies, all of which add a preservative.
While the ingredients of all the different dorzolamide eye drops vary slightly, they all contain benzalkonium chloride, an antimicrobial preservative.
Alternative Options
Dorzolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used for the treatment of glaucoma.
The only other carbonic anhydrase inhibitor product (that only contains one active ingredient) is Azopt (brinzolamide). That too is only available with preservatives.
Nevertheless, you do have some potential options to talk to your doctor about, which include:
- Cosopt PF (dorzolamide; timolol)
- Zioptan (tafluprost)
- Timoptic Ocudose (timolol)
All of these drugs are available in single use, preservative-free containers.
Cosopt PF (a preservative-free combination of dorzolamide and timolol) would be your most similar option since it already contains dorzolamide and adds on the beta-blocker timolol.
The other preservative free options are in different drug classes.
Timoptic Ocudose contains timolol as the sole drug and Zioptan is an ophthalmic prostaglandin.
There are many considerations to take into account when determining what the most appropriate course of therapy for an individual treating glaucoma is.
For most individuals, the recommended initial therapy is a prostaglandin, like Zioptan, because they have been shown to be effective at lowering intra-ocular pressure, are well tolerated, can be dosed once daily and have fewer side effects than other options.
If you are looking to use only a preservative-free option to treat your glaucoma, talk to your doctor about any of the options above.
Final Words
I hope you found this helpful! Reach back out anytime.
References & sources
- Glaucoma: Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension — PubMed
- Mixed treatment comparison and meta-regression of the efficacy and safety of prostaglandin analogues and comparators for primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension — PubMed
- Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials comparing latanoprost with brimonidine in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma, ocular hypertension or normal-tension glaucoma — PubMed
- A panel assessment of glaucoma management: modification of existing RAND-like methodology for consensus in ophthalmology. Part II: Results and interpretation — PubMed
- Zioptan Manufacturer Website — Zioptan
- Cosopt PF Manufacturer Website — Cosopt PF
- Timoptic Ocudose Manufacturer Website — Timoptic Ocudose
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Dorzolamide
- A medication used in eye drops to treat glaucoma by reducing pressure inside the eye.
- Benzalkonium chloride
- A chemical preservative added to eye drops to prevent bacterial growth and contamination.
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor
- A class of glaucoma medications that work by reducing fluid production inside the eye.
- Glaucoma
- An eye disease characterized by increased pressure inside the eye that can damage vision.
- Beta-blocker
- A type of medication that reduces eye pressure by decreasing fluid production in the eye.
- Prostaglandin
- A class of eye medications that lower eye pressure by increasing fluid drainage from the eye.
- Intra-ocular pressure
- The fluid pressure inside the eyeball, which is elevated in glaucoma and needs to be lowered.
- Preservative-free
- A medication formulation that does not contain chemical preservatives, often packaged in single-use containers.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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