EFFECT OF DORZOLAMIDE ON CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN NORMAL HUMANEYES

PURPOSE. To assess the effects of dorzolamide hydrochloride, a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, on corneal endothelial function. METHOD S. The authors measured the rate of corneal deswelling and the endothe lial permeability to fluorescein after 2 hours of hypoxic contact lens wear in 19 normal human subjects. The study was double-masked; one ey e of each subject was randomly assigned to receive 2% dorzolamide drop s, and the other eye received placebo drops every 8 hours for 24 hours before the study day and twice during the study day. RESULTS. Dorzola mide-treated eyes were not significantly different from placebo-treate d eyes in corneal deswelling rate, expressed as the percent recovery p er hour (55.7% +/- 13.6% versus 59.6% +/- 14.5%; P greater than or equ al to 0.10), open eye steady state thickness, swelling induced by hypo xia, and corneal autofluorescence. Endothelial permeability to fluores cein was increased in the dorzolamide eyes (4.40 +/- 0.84 x 10(-4) cm/ minute versus 4.10 +/- 0.80 x 10(-4) cm/minute; P = 0.01). As expected , the intraocular pressure and aqueous humor flow rate were decreased in the dorzolamide eyes. CONCLUSIONS. Dorzolamide hydrochloride, when topically administered to normal human eyes for 24 hours, had no signi ficant effect on the corneal deswelling rate after hypoxic stress. The corneal endothelial permeability to fluorescein, however, was increas ed by the drug, although this did not result in increased corneal thic kness.