ABSTRACT
Only few cases of proven allergic contact dermatitis to dorzolamide from its presence in eye drops have been reported. However, in one eye hospital in the UK, 14 patients who developed periorbital dermatitis while on dorzolamide eye drops were seen in a 3-year-period. Thirteen patients had used preserved topical β-blocker treatment for a mean period of 34 months without complication before the introduction of dorzolamide. Three patients later underwent patch testing to dorzolamide hydrochloride 5%, applying one series to normal skin and another series to cellotape-stripped skin, to aid penetration of dorzolamide through the epidermis. Despite the fact that the eye drops contain benzalkonium chloride and dorzolamide itself was not tested separately, all 6 authors conclude that this patient had contact allergy to dorzolamide, which obviously is a unsubstantiated conclusion. Severe recurrence of the right periocular dermatitis and of the eczematous lesions of the abdomen was observed at the same time.
