MHRA Drug Safety Alert: Dorzolomide hydrochloride/timolol maleate (Cosopt) preservative-free single-dose eye drops: reports of eye injury
6 January 2014
Dorzolomide hydrochloride/timolol maleate (Cosopt) preservative-free single-dose eye drops are used to treat glaucoma. The MHRA is aware of 69 complaints in the UK with this product after the introduction of a new design of dropper in July 2013. These reports include scratches to the cornea, and difficulty in administration of the drops onto the eye.
The wings that extend from the pipette tip and the pieces of plastic that stay on the pipette tip after the pipette is opened make it difficult to use the pipette and increase the risk of eye injury.
Please be aware that patients who are currently using this product may be experiencing problems administering their eye drops, and may benefit from additional education in the safe self-administration of eye drops. Please report any problems via the Yellow Card Scheme (www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard), specifying which presentation was involved.
A new dropper will be introduced early in the new year, which improves the current design.
Article citation: Drug Safety Update volume 7 issue 5, December 2013: S2. MHRA