Bimatoprost
Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analog used in the eye to lower high eye pressure in open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, and (as a separate eyelash product) to grow longer, thicker, darker lashes.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 19 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analog, among the usual first choices for open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension (high eye pressure), and it lowers pressure by helping fluid drain out of the eye through two routes. It has been around since about 2001, is available generically, and as Latisse it also grows thicker, darker eyelashes. Most people tolerate it well, and what they notice is red eyes, some itching and longer lashes. Watch for the colored part of the eye slowly turning brown, which is likely permanent. Eye pain, swelling or vision changes need a prompt call, since they can signal inflammation or swelling in the retina.
Clinical pearls
- Use the glaucoma drops once each evening, and avoid adding another prostaglandin eye drop, which can weaken the pressure-lowering effect.
- If you use other eye drops, wait at least 5 minutes between each one so the first is not washed out.
- Remove soft contact lenses before using it and wait 15 minutes, since the preservative can discolor them.
- Latisse is painted on the skin of the upper lash line only, so blot any excess or hair can grow where it lands.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Bimatoprost, written from its FDA label.
What Bimatoprost is used for
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Bimatoprost is used in several eye products with different approved uses.
- Lumigan (0.01% eye drops): lowers elevated eye pressure in open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Zolymbus (eye gel): lowers elevated eye pressure in open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Durysta (intracameral implant): lowers eye pressure in open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Latisse (0.03% solution) and generic bimatoprost 0.03% solution: treat hypotrichosis of the eyelashes by increasing length, thickness and darkness.
How Bimatoprost works
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Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analog that mimics natural substances called prostamides. It is believed to lower eye pressure by increasing the outflow of aqueous humor (the fluid inside the eye) through the trabecular meshwork and uveoscleral routes.
This matters because higher eye pressure means a greater chance of optic nerve damage and vision loss.
Bimatoprost dosage
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Each product is used differently, so follow your own label and prescriber.
- Lumigan: one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening. More often than once daily may weaken the effect.
- Zolymbus: one drop once daily in the evening from a single-dose container, discarded after use. If you miss a dose, take the next one as normal.
- Latisse and generic bimatoprost 0.03%: once nightly on the upper eyelid margin with a new sterile applicator for each eye. Extra applications will not grow more lashes, and lashes return to their prior level after stopping.
- Durysta: a one-time implant placed by an eye doctor.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Bimatoprost prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- Durysta (intracameral implant) - ophthalmic intracameral administration
- Single intracameral administration of a biodegradable implant, performed under standard aseptic conditions
- Should not be readministered to an eye that received a prior DURYSTA
- Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%) - eyelash treatment
- Once nightly, place one drop on the disposable sterile applicator and apply evenly along the skin of the upper eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes
- Repeat for the opposite eyelid margin using a new sterile applicator
- Do not apply to the lower eyelash line; additional applications will not increase the growth of eyelashes
- Zolymbus (ophthalmic gel) - affected eye(s)
- One drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening
- Maximum: Should not be administered more than once daily
- If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is used, administer at least five (5) minutes apart; single-dose container used immediately and discarded after use
- Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.01%) - affected eye(s)
- One drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening
- Maximum: Should not be administered more than once daily
- If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is used, administer at least five (5) minutes apart
- Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% - eyelash treatment
- Once nightly, place one drop on the disposable sterile applicator and apply evenly along the skin of the upper eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes
- Repeat for the opposite eyelid margin using a new sterile applicator
- Do not apply to the lower eyelash line; additional applications will not increase the growth of eyelashes
Read the label’s full dosing text
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Ensure the face is clean, makeup and contact lenses are removed. Once nightly, place one drop of bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03% on the disposable sterile applicator supplied with the package and apply evenly along the skin of the upper eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes. The upper lid margin in the area of lash growth should feel lightly moist without runoff. Blot any excess solution runoff outside the upper eyelid margin with a tissue or other absorbent cloth. Dispose of the applicator after one use. Repeat for the opposite eyelid margin using a new sterile applicator. Do not reuse applicators and do not use any other brush/applicator to apply bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%. Do not apply to the lower eyelash line [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.3, 5.4 ] and Patient Counseling Information (17)]. Additional applications of bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% will not increase the growth of eyelashes. Upon discontinuation of treatment, eyelash growth is expected to return to its pre-treatment level. Apply nightly directly to the skin of the upper eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes using the accompanying applicators. Blot any excess solution beyond the eyelid margin. Dispose of the applicator after one use. Repeat for the opposite eyelid margin using a new sterile applicator.
Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Bimatoprost side effects
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Most side effects involve the eye.
Common side effects
- Red eyes (conjunctival hyperemia)
- Eyelash growth
- Itchy eyes
- Dry eyes
- Eye burning or a feeling of something in the eye
- Eye pain or irritation
- Darkening of skin around the eye
- Headache
- Darkening of skin around the eye or of the lashes
- Headache and colds or upper respiratory infections
When to get medical help
- Call your doctor if you notice your eye color becoming more brown. This is likely to be permanent.
- Get help if you have eye pain, redness, swelling or vision changes, which may signal inflammation or macular edema (swelling in the retina).
- Seek care for signs of an allergic reaction, such as eye or skin allergy symptoms, or trouble breathing.
- Tell your doctor if you notice changes around the eye, such as a sunken look or drooping eyelid.
Call your doctor about eye pain, vision changes, signs of allergic reaction, increasing brown iris color, or changes in the eyelid or the tissue around the eye.
Bimatoprost warnings and precautions
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- Iris pigmentation: eyes may turn more brown, likely permanently. Long-term effects are not known.
- Eyelid and eyelash darkening: usually reversible after stopping.
- Unwanted hair growth where solution repeatedly touches the skin.
- Caution with active eye inflammation such as uveitis.
- Macular edema has been reported; caution if you have risk factors.
- Contamination risk: keep the bottle tip clean and use each applicator once. Bacterial keratitis (eye infection) has been reported with multiple-dose eye products.
Bimatoprost interactions
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Other eye medicines can matter.
- Other prostaglandin analogs (including Lumigan): using them together with bimatoprost 0.03% may reduce the pressure-lowering effect, so talk to your doctor and have your eye pressure monitored.
- Other eye pressure drops with Lumigan or Zolymbus: wait at least 5 minutes between them.
- Soft contact lenses: the preservative benzalkonium chloride in bimatoprost 0.03% may discolor them.
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Bimatoprost
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- Do not use bimatoprost 0.03% solution if allergic to bimatoprost or its ingredients.
- Tell your doctor about eye inflammation, no natural lens, or macular edema risk factors.
- Pregnancy: use only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the baby.
- Breastfeeding: it is not known whether it passes into breast milk in meaningful amounts.
- Children: studied for eyelashes in children and adolescents with no new safety issues.
- Older adults: no overall differences in safety or effectiveness.
Bimatoprost overdose
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No information is available on overdose in humans. If it happens, treatment is based on symptoms. Animal studies showed no toxicity at very high oral doses. Contact Poison Control or your doctor if too much is used or swallowed.
What Bimatoprost does in the body
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Bimatoprost lowers pressure inside the eye by improving fluid drainage. With Lumigan and Zolymbus, pressure begins to drop about 4 hours after the first dose, with maximum effect in about 8 to 12 hours. Using prostaglandin analogs more than once daily may lessen the effect.
How your body processes Bimatoprost
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After a drop in the eye, only a tiny amount reaches the blood. Levels peak within 10 minutes and are mostly undetectable within 1.5 hours. There was no significant buildup over time.
Bimatoprost is broken down by the body into several metabolites. Its half-life in the blood is about 45 minutes after intravenous dosing. Up to 67% is excreted in urine and 25% in feces.
How to store Bimatoprost
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Store at 2°C to 25°C (36°F to 77°F).
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Bimatoprost: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Bimatoprost — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is bimatoprost for?
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How do I use it?
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What side effects should I expect?
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Can it change my eye color?
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Can I wear contacts?
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Is it safe in pregnancy?
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Is Bimatoprost available over the counter?
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When was Bimatoprost first available?
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Who makes Bimatoprost?
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Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Bimatoprost on HelloPharmacist
Bimatoprost forms and strengths (how it comes)
Bimatoprost is available in 3 forms. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Eye drops
How this form is used
- Lumigan 0.01% lowers elevated eye pressure in open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Latisse 0.03% treats hypotrichosis of the eyelashes.
- Generic bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% treats hypotrichosis of the eyelashes.
- Lumigan: one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening, no more than once daily.
- Latisse: once nightly, apply one drop on the sterile applicator to the upper eyelid margin; do not reuse applicators or apply to the lower lash line.
- Generic bimatoprost 0.03%: once nightly, apply with the supplied sterile applicator along the upper eyelid margin and blot excess.
- Remove contact lenses first for bimatoprost 0.03% products; they may be reinserted after 15 minutes.
Insert or device
How this form is used
- Durysta lowers eye pressure in open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Durysta is a biodegradable implant given as a single administration inside the eye by a clinician under sterile conditions.
- Durysta should not be given again to an eye that already received Durysta.
Eye ointment
How this form is used
- Zolymbus lowers elevated eye pressure in open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Zolymbus: one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening.
- Zolymbus: use one single-dose container right after opening, then discard it.
- Zolymbus: if a dose is missed, continue with the next dose as normal.
- Zolymbus: if using other eye medicines, wait at least 5 minutes between them.
Bimatoprost on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Bimatoprost appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
15 companies list 28 Bimatoprost product records with the FDA, mostly as eye drops, insert or device, eye ointment; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 2001. Brand names on the directory include Lumigan, Latisse, Durysta and 1 more; the rest are generics.
FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (27) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
How widely Bimatoprost is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Bimatoprost is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Bimatoprost is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Bimatoprost prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Bimatoprost ranks #647 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 60% of them.
Utilization by Bimatoprost product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
bimatoprost 0.1 MG/ML Ophthalmic Solution Most dispensed
Summed across the 3 of 12 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1009339
bimatoprost 0.3 MG/ML Ophthalmic Solution
Summed across the 10 of 29 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 308739
bimatoprost 0.01 MG Drug Implant
Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 2286602
bimatoprost 0.3 MG/ML Topical Solution
Summed across the 2 of 9 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1041495
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Bimatoprost, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 16 of 52 listed Bimatoprost NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Bimatoprost products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Bimatoprost — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Eye drops | ||||
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.1 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Allergan, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Allergan, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 0.1 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Amneal Pharmaceuticals NY LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Apotex Corp. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Aurobindo Pharma Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.1 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | First Nation Group, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Fosun Pharma USA Inc. × 3 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Gland Pharma Limited × 3 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.1 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Lifestar Pharma LLC × 3 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Micro Labs Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Sandoz Inc | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 0.3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Somerset Therapeutics, LLC × 3 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 💊Eye ointment | ||||
| 0.1 mg/g | Ophthalmic | Thea Pharma Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 💊Insert or device | ||||
| 10 mcg | Intracameral | Allergan, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
Showing 28 of 28 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 28 Bimatoprost NDCs →
Bimatoprost side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Bimatoprost — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Bimatoprost in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Bimatoprost FDA approval history
How Bimatoprost went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Bimatoprost recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Bimatoprost recalls since July 2021.
✅No Bimatoprost recalls on record since July 2021Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 283810 4 dose forms · 5 strengths
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Dose form (SCDF) Drug Implant RxCUI 2286601In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.01 MGRxCUI 2286602 -
Dose form (SCDF) Ophthalmic Gel RxCUI 2725167In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.0001 MG/MGRxCUI 2725168 -
Dose form (SCDF) Ophthalmic Solution RxCUI 378341In current FDA listings -
Dose form (SCDF) Topical Solution RxCUI 1041494No current FDA listingClinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.3 MG/MLRxCUI 1041495
Look up RxCUI 283810 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Bimatoprost supply and shortage status
Whether Bimatoprost is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
💵 What Bimatoprost costs pharmacies (NADAC benchmark)
The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Sep 30, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.
| Form | Strength | Pharmacy acquisition benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solution/ Drops · Ophthalmic | 0.3 mg/mL | $31.49–$40.98 per mL | NDC details & price history |
| Solution/ Drops · Ophthalmic | 0.1 mg/mL | $102.99–$103.11 per mL | NDC details & price history |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.
Bimatoprost brand names
Bimatoprost is sold under 4 brand names in the FDA directory — Lumigan, Latisse, Durysta, Zolymbus. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Bimatoprost: manufacturers and labelers
15 companies list Bimatoprost products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Allergan, Inc., Fosun Pharma USA Inc., Gland Pharma Limited. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Bimatoprost drug class (RxNorm)
Bimatoprost belongs to the Prostaglandin Analog class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Bimatoprost page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Allergan, Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →