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Drug side effects

ofloxacin Side Effects

The reactions most often reported to the FDA for ofloxacin (also sold as Floxin, Ocuflox), with demographics, serious outcomes, and reporting trends.

Data updated 2026-05-15

7,063
FAERS reports

Data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), 1999 to 2025. A FAERS report records a temporal association, not proof of cause. See our methodology for how figures are compiled and de-duplicated.

The most commonly reported side effects of ofloxacin come from 7,063 reports to the FDA, broken down here by frequency, patient demographics, and serious outcomes.

This page analyzes 7,063 reports to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for ofloxacin (Floxin): the reactions reported most often, who reported them, serious outcomes such as hospitalization, and year-over-year trends. A FAERS report does not prove the drug caused the effect, and report volume tracks how widely a drug is used, not how likely an effect is for any one person. Educational information, not medical advice.

Total Reports

7,063

Reports Mentioning Death

597

8.5% of reports — not proof the medicine caused the death

Hospitalizations

2,611

37.0% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

EYE PAIN
345
HEADACHE
284
PAIN
278
FATIGUE
257
NAUSEA
251
ARTHRALGIA
247
DIARRHOEA
243
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY
242
ANXIETY
208
RENAL FAILURE
206
DYSPNOEA
203
PYREXIA
203
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
194
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
184
VISION BLURRED
166
EYE IRRITATION
162
RASH
156
PRURITUS
151

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 3,528 (54%)
Male 2,983 (46%)
Unknown 28

Age Distribution

0-17 268 (5%)
18-44 951 (19%)
45-64 1,398 (29%)
65-74 1,126 (23%)
75+ 1,159 (24%)

Reporting Trend by Year

1999 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 597 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 139
RENAL FAILURE 44
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 34
SEPTIC SHOCK 34
TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS 34
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 31
DIARRHOEA 31
PNEUMONIA 31
DYSPNOEA 30
SEPSIS 28
OVERDOSE 27
PYREXIA 27
CARDIAC ARREST 26
DRUG INTERACTION 26
INSOMNIA 24
MALAISE 24
TACHYCARDIA 24
FATIGUE 23
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 23
MULTI-ORGAN FAILURE 23

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 2,611 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
PYREXIA 150
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 146
PAIN 127
NAUSEA 110
DYSPNOEA 109
DIARRHOEA 107
PNEUMONIA 107
ARTHRALGIA 104
RENAL FAILURE 103
FATIGUE 96
ANAEMIA 94
VOMITING 94
ANXIETY 93
CONFUSIONAL STATE 93
HEADACHE 93
ASTHENIA 92
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 85
FALL 83
DRUG INTERACTION 81

Compare ofloxacin vs amikacin →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About ofloxacin Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 7,063 voluntary reports linked to ofloxacin and its brand equivalents (Floxin, Ocuflox), spanning 1999 through 2025. Of those, 597 (8.5%) listed death as an outcome and 2,611 (37.0%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 54% were female and 46% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 1,398 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is eye pain with 345 submissions, followed by headache and pain.

How to read these numbers

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice, speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.