Two medicines, side by side
Timolol vs brimonidine
Timolol and brimonidine are both labeled for glaucoma. Drugs@FDA records approvals of timolol since 1978 and of brimonidine since 1996. Pharmacies paid $0.774 per mL (Timolol maleate 0.5% eye drops) and $9.06 per mL (Brimonidine tartrate 0.1% drop) (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, timolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and brimonidine an alpha-adrenergic agonist.
Check it at the source: the timolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 27, 2025); the brimonidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 24, 2025).
Highlights of the timolol record
Timolol (Timoptic) · label of June 27, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsBetimol ® is indicated in the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 17, 1978
- Generic labelers
- 22 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.774 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 20
Highlights of the brimonidine record
Brimonidine (Lumify) · label of July 24, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsBrimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% is indicated for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The IOP lowering efficacy of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution diminishes over time in some patients. This loss of effect appears with a variable time of onset in each patient and should be closely monitored. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 6, 1996
- Generic labelers
- 14 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $9.06 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Timolol label of June 27, 2025, Brimonidine label of July 24, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do timolol and brimonidine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, timolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and brimonidine an alpha-adrenergic agonist.
Half-life, in each label's words: Timolol, “The half-life of timolol in plasma is approximately 4 hours.”; Brimonidine, “12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption After ocular administration of a 0.2% solution, plasma concentrations peaked within 1 …”
Generics: timolol since 1989; brimonidine since 2003 (Drugs@FDA).
| Timolol | Brimonidine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Migraine | Glaucoma |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | alpha-Adrenergic Agonist |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% is a relatively selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist with a peak ocular hypotensive effect occurring at two hours post-dosing. |
| Half-life (label) | The half-life of timolol in plasma is approximately 4 hours. | 12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption After ocular administration of a 0.2% solution, plasma concentrations peaked within 1 to 4 hours and declined with a systemic half-life of approximately 3 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 17, 1978 | September 6, 1996 |
| First generic approved | April 13, 1989 | May 28, 2003 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 22 labelers | 14 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.774 per mL (Timolol maleate 0.5% eye drops) | $9.06 per mL (Brimonidine tartrate 0.1% drop) |
| 12-month price change | -6% | -41% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 20 | 4 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 9,878 | 17,837 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to timolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions