Prescription medication · Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic)
bimatoprost
Also sold as Lumigan. This medicine treats high pressure inside your eye.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 28,128
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 89% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- $96.35
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
bimatoprost (Lumigan) is a prescription Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic), reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (28,128 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (89% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
bimatoprost (Lumigan) is a prescription Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic). This medicine treats high pressure inside your eye.
Bimatoprost eye drops help lower pressure in the eye. It is used for people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$96.35/unit
Generic Price
$10.55/unit
Generic Savings
89%
Generic Available
Yes (9 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats high pressure inside your eye.
Common side effects
Redness of the eye (conjunctival hyperemia), Increased eyelash growth, Eye itching (ocular pruritus)
Key warnings
Bimatoprost can cause increased brown pigmentation of the iris, which is likely to be permanent.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from bimatoprost's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Bimatoprost is like a natural substance in your body. It works by helping fluid drain better from inside your eye. This lowers the pressure in your eye.
How to Take It
Use one drop in the affected eye(s) once a day, in the evening. Do not use it more than once a day. Using it more often can make it less effective. If you use other eye drops, wait at least 5 minutes before using bimatoprost.
This is a plain-language summary of bimatoprost's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if bimatoprost is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if bimatoprost passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of bimatoprost's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of bimatoprost's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store bimatoprost eye drops in the refrigerator between 36°F to 77°F (2°C to 25°C).
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 28,128 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for bimatoprost, by number of reports
- The treatment is not working
The treatment is not working
3,077 reports
- Eye redness
Eye redness
2,333 reports
- Eye feels irritated
Eye feels irritated
1,841 reports
- Loss of eyelashes
Loss of eyelashes
1,386 reports
- Eye itching
Eye itching
1,320 reports
- Eyelid redness 1,012
Eyelid redness
1,012 reports
- Eye pain 937
Eye pain
937 reports
- Allergic reaction 851
Allergic reaction
851 reports
- Blurred vision 834
Blurred vision
834 reports
- Increased pressure in the eye 715
Increased pressure in the eye
715 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for bimatoprost each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where bimatoprost sits
bimatoprost has more FDA adverse-event reports than 62% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is bimatoprost; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 28,128 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
28,128
Reports Mentioning Death
761
2.7% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
3,060
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | TREATMENT FAILURE | 3,077 |
| 3 | OCULAR HYPERAEMIA | 2,333 |
| 4 | EYE IRRITATION | 1,841 |
| 5 | MADAROSIS | 1,386 |
| 6 | EYE PRURITUS | 1,320 |
| 7 | ERYTHEMA OF EYELID | 1,012 |
| 8 | EYE PAIN | 937 |
| 9 | HYPERSENSITIVITY | 851 |
| 10 | VISION BLURRED | 834 |
| 11 | INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE INCREASED | 715 |
| 12 | FATIGUE | 705 |
| 14 | HEADACHE | 673 |
| 15 | DRY EYE | 647 |
| 16 | EYE SWELLING | 646 |
| 18 | DYSPNOEA | 543 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Bimatoprost can cause increased brown pigmentation of the iris, which is likely to be permanent. It can also cause your eyelashes to get longer, thicker, and more numerous. These eyelash changes are usually reversible when you stop using the medicine. This medicine may also cause inflammation inside the eye. Use caution if you have active inflammation in the eye. Macular edema has been reported with bimatoprost. Use with caution if you have risk factors for macular edema.
Common Questions
Can bimatoprost change my eye color?
Will my eyelashes grow longer with this medicine?
What if my eyes get red after using the drops?
Can I use bimatoprost with my contact lenses?
What should I do if I experience eye pain?
How long does it take for bimatoprost to start working?
Can I use bimatoprost more than once a day to lower my eye pressure faster?
Can children use bimatoprost?
What ingredients are in bimatoprost eye drops?
What are the common side effects of bimatoprost?
What drug class is bimatoprost?
Is there a generic version of bimatoprost?
Is bimatoprost safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for bimatoprost
The FDA label for bimatoprost (sold under brand names such as Lumigan) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic) class. This medicine treats high pressure inside your eye. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Redness of the eye (conjunctival hyperemia), Increased eyelash growth, Eye itching (ocular pruritus).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 28,128 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $10.55 versus $96.35 for the brand - a 89% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: July 17, 2023
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages