Prescription medication · Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic)
tafluprost
Also sold as Zioptan. Tafluprost eye drops are used to lower high pressure inside your eye.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 2,845
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 60% less
- Generic vs brandBig savings
- $8.51
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
tafluprost (Zioptan) is a prescription Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (2,845 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (60% 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.
tafluprost (Zioptan) is a prescription Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic). Tafluprost eye drops are used to lower high pressure inside your eye.
Tafluprost 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
$8.51/unit
Generic Price
$3.38/unit
Generic Savings
60%
Generic Available
Yes (3 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Tafluprost eye drops are used to lower high pressure inside your eye.
Common side effects
Redness of the eye, Eye stinging or irritation, Eye itching
Key warnings
Tafluprost can cause changes in the color of your iris (the colored part of your eye), eyelid, and eyelashes.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from tafluprost's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Tafluprost is similar to a natural substance in your body called prostaglandin. It works by increasing the flow of fluid out of your eye. This helps to lower the pressure inside your eye.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 2,845 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for tafluprost, by number of reports
- Ocular Hyperaemia
Ocular Hyperaemia
459 reports
- Eye Irritation
Eye Irritation
416 reports
- Eye Pain
Eye Pain
288 reports
- Eye Pruritus
Eye Pruritus
227 reports
- Death
Death
197 reports
- Vision Blurred 167
Vision Blurred
167 reports
- Headache 164
Headache
164 reports
- Eye Swelling 122
Eye Swelling
122 reports
- Dry Eye 107
Dry Eye
107 reports
- Intraocular Pressure Increased 95
Intraocular Pressure Increased
95 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 tafluprost 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 tafluprost sits
tafluprost has more FDA adverse-event reports than 17% 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 tafluprost; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 2,845 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2010–2025.
Total Reports
2,845
Reports Mentioning Death
326
11.5% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
275
Top Indication
Glaucoma
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OCULAR HYPERAEMIA | 459 |
| 2 | EYE IRRITATION | 416 |
| 3 | EYE PAIN | 288 |
| 4 | EYE PRURITUS | 227 |
| 6 | DEATH | 197 |
| 7 | VISION BLURRED | 167 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 164 |
| 9 | EYE SWELLING | 122 |
| 10 | DRY EYE | 107 |
| 11 | INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE INCREASED | 95 |
| 12 | PHOTOPHOBIA | 85 |
| 13 | LACRIMATION INCREASED | 74 |
| 14 | DIZZINESS | 69 |
| 15 | DYSPNOEA | 69 |
| 16 | HYPERSENSITIVITY | 64 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Tafluprost can cause changes in the color of your iris (the colored part of your eye), eyelid, and eyelashes. The iris color change may be permanent. Eyelash changes, like increased length or thickness, are usually reversible when you stop using the medicine. Use with caution if you have active inflammation inside your eye, as it may worsen. Tafluprost may cause swelling in the back of the eye, especially if you have had cataract surgery or have other risk factors.
Common Questions
Can I use tafluprost more than once a day to lower my eye pressure faster?
What should I do if I wear contact lenses?
How long does it take for tafluprost to start working?
Can I use tafluprost with other eye drops?
What should I do if I experience eye irritation after using tafluprost?
Will tafluprost change my eye color?
Can tafluprost affect my eyelashes?
How should I store tafluprost?
What happens if tafluprost is exposed to high temperatures?
Is it safe to use tafluprost if I am pregnant?
What are the common side effects of tafluprost?
What drug class is tafluprost?
Is there a generic version of tafluprost?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for tafluprost?
Related Medications in Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic)
Other drugs grouped near tafluprost - same-class peers and common alternatives.
aflibercept
Eylea
AHZANTIVE is a medicine used to treat certain eye problems.
Compare with tafluprost →
artificial tears
Refresh, Systane
Artificial tears are eye drops that lubricate your eyes.
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bevacizumab (ophthalmic)
Avastin
Avastin is a medicine that blocks a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Compare with tafluprost →
bimatoprost
Lumigan
Bimatoprost eye drops help lower pressure in the eye.
Compare with tafluprost →
brimonidine ophthalmic
Alphagan P
Alphagan P eye drops help lower pressure in the eye.
Compare with tafluprost →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for tafluprost: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 2,845.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 11.46%.
- cefazolin Δ 0.02 pts · 8,788 reports · First-Generation Cephalosporin 11.44%death share
- rasagiline Δ 0.10 pts · 3,152 reports · MAO-B Inhibitor 11.36%death share
- degarelix Δ 0.11 pts · 4,979 reports · GnRH Antagonist 11.57%death share
- alendronate Δ 0.11 pts · 98,033 reports · Bisphosphonate 11.35%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for tafluprost
The FDA label for tafluprost (sold under brand names such as Zioptan) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic) class. Tafluprost eye drops are used to lower high pressure inside your eye. Official labeling lists 13 commonly reported side effects, including Redness of the eye, Eye stinging or irritation, Eye itching.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 2,845 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $3.38 versus $8.51 for the brand - a 60% 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 are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
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. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: December 4, 2024
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
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 from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
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