Key takeaways
Simbrinza (brinzolamide/brimonidine) and Lumigan (bimatoprost) are both eye-drop medications used to lower eye pressure in conditions like open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension (high eye pressure). But they have several differences. Simbrinza is a combination of two medications: brinzolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and brimonidine, an alpha-2 agonist. It works by reducing the amount of fluid in the eye and is typically used 3 times a day. Lumigan, on the other hand, is a prostaglandin that helps drain fluid from the eye and is used once daily in the evening. While Simbrinza is only available as a brand medication, Lumigan has a generic form available in its 0.03% strength. Simbrinza can cause side effects like blurry vision and eye irritation, whereas Lumigan may lead to eye redness, eyelash growth, and potentially permanent darkening of the eye color. Both medications require you to remove soft contact lenses before use and wait 15 minutes before reinserting them.
