Lumigan
Lumigan (bimatoprost) is an eye drop that's used to treat conditions related to high pressure in the eye, including glaucoma. It belongs to the drug class called prostaglandins, which work in the eye to reduce eye pressure. The brand name Lumigan is the 0.01% strength of the eye drops. There's also a 0.03% strength of generic bimatoprost eye drops for glaucoma. People 16 years of age or older can use either strength. This eye drop is used once a day in the evening. Side effects include eye redness, itchy eyes, and eye irritation.
What is Lumigan (bimatoprost)?
What is Lumigan (bimatoprost) used for?
Lowering pressure in the eye in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension (high pressure in the eye)
How Lumigan (bimatoprost) works
Lumigan (bimatoprost) is a type of medication called a prostaglandin. These eye drops help drain fluid from the eyes. This helps lower the pressure inside the eyes.
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What are the side effects of Lumigan (bimatoprost)?
Common Side Effects
- Eye redness (up to 45%)
- Eyelash growth (up to 45%)
- Itchy eye (up to 45%)
Other Side Effects
- Dry eye
- Burning feeling in the eye
- Feeling like there's something inside the eye
- Eye irritation
- Eye pain
- Redness around the eye
- Changes in vision
- Darkening of the color of the eyelashes
- Common cold symptoms
- Upper respiratory tract infection
Serious Side Effects
- Severe eye irritation: severe redness or itching
- Usual changes in vision: blurry or worse vision, wavy vision, color looking dull
Source:Â DailyMed
More on Lumigan (bimatoprost) side effects
The following side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Blindness
bloody eye
blurred or decreased vision
change in color vision
color changes in the skin around the eyes
difficulty seeing at night
disturbed color perception
double vision
eye color changes
fever or chills
halos around lights
lack or loss of strength
loss of vision
night blindness
overbright appearance of lights
redness, burning, dry, or itching eyes
redness, pain, swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
tunnel vision
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Body aches or pain
difficulty with breathing
ear congestion
headache
loss of voice
redness of the white part of eyes or inside of the eyelids
unusual tiredness or weakness
Less common
Darkening of the eyelashes
eye discharge or excessive tearing
eye strain
feeling of having something in the eye
increase in hair growth
increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Lumigan (bimatoprost)
Pros
Only used once a day
Starts to work within 4 hours and lasts for at least 8 to 12 hours
One of the first-choice options for open-angle glaucoma
Cons
Might permanently darken the color of your eyes
Need to take out any soft contact lenses before using
Hasn't been studied for children younger than 16 years of age
Pharmacist tips for Lumigan (bimatoprost)
Follow up with your eye specialist when instructed (every few weeks or months). You'll do an eye exam to check how well Lumigan (bimatoprost) is lowering the pressure inside your eyes. They can also check for side effects related to the eyes.
If you wear soft contact lenses, take them out before each time you use Lumigan (bimatoprost). The preservative in the eye drops can damage the contacts or make them change color. Wait 15 minutes after using the eye drops to put your contact lenses back in.
How to use Lumigan (bimatoprost): Wash your hands well with soap and warm water. Tilt your head back and pull down your lower eyelid to make a small pocket. With the other hand, hold the eye drop bottle upside down over your eye. Gently squeeze 1 drop of medication into the pocket. Then, close your eye and lightly press the inner corner of your eye. Wipe away any extra medication on your face.
Don't touch the tip of the Lumigan (bimatoprost) bottle with your fingers. Also don't let it touch your eye or anything else. Make sure to keep the bottle capped and closed tightly when you're not using it. This helps make sure you don't get germs in the medication to lower your risk of getting an eye infection.
Your vision might get blurry and your eyes could become sensitive to light after using Lumigan (bimatoprost). If this happens, don't drive or use machinery until you can see clearly again. If these problems don't go away or get worse, tell your eye specialist so they can check your eyes.
Lumigan (bimatoprost) might make your eyes or eyelids look darker and your eyelashes grow thicker over time. Talk to your eye specialist if you see any changes that worry you.
Don't put more than 1 drop of Lumigan (bimatoprost) each day into the eye. Otherwise, it can make the medication not work as well.
If you need to use Lumigan (bimatoprost) along with other eye drops, wait at least 5 minutes between each one. This give your eyes enough time to fully absorb each medication.
Keep Lumigan (bimatoprost) at room temperature. It's good to use until the expiration date on the bottle.
Frequently asked questions about Lumigan (bimatoprost)
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What are the risks and warnings for Lumigan (bimatoprost)?
Lumigan (bimatoprost) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Darker eyes or eyelids
Lumigan (bimatoprost) can make the color of your eyes and eyelids darker (browner). This happens because the medication causes the levels of melanin in and around your eyes to go up. Melanin is a protein that's responsible for the color of certain parts of your eyes.
You might not notice changes in color until after a few months or years of using Lumigan (bimatoprost). Color changes in the iris (the circular colored part of your eye) are most likely permanent. Your eyelashes and the skin around your eyes might also get darker. But this usually goes away after you stop using the medication.
These side effects don't seem to be harmful. But it's best to check in with your eye specialist regularly so they can make sure your eyes stay healthy.
Eyelash changes
Over time, your eyelashes might grow longer or thicker while you're using Lumigan (bimatoprost). You also might have more eyelashes in general. These changes usually go away after you stop using the medication.
Eye inflammation
Risk factors: Current eye inflammation (e.g., uveitis)
Lumigan (bimatoprost) can cause eye inflammation (redness and swelling). It can also make any inflammation worse if you already have eye problems. Tell your eye specialist if you feel eye discomfort or have vision changes while using Lumigan (bimatoprost).
Swelling of the retina (macular edema)
Risk factors: Not having a lens inside your eye | Having a false lens in your eye | Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) | Genetic eye problems | Eye inflammation | Blocked vein in the eye | Eye surgery
Some people who used Lumigan (bimatoprost) had swelling in the retina. This eye condition is called macular edema. Talk to your eye specialist about your risk of macular edema. They'll check your eyes often during treatment.
Macular edema can cause vision changes, like blurry vision or colors looking dull. Tell your eye specialist if you notice any changes in your vision while using Lumigan (bimatoprost).
Risk of bacterial eye infection when using contaminated medication
Risk factors: Problems with the cornea | Injury or damage to the surface of the eye
Eye infections can happen if your bottle of Lumigan (bimatoprost) gets germs in it and you use the drops. Some people who used contaminated eye drops got an eye infection called bacterial keratitis. This affects the cornea (the protective covering on the front of the eye). It can cause eye swelling and pain.
To lower the risk of this happening, always wash your hands before using Lumigan (bimatoprost). Be careful not to let the dropper tip touch your eye or anything else. Don't touch the tip with your hands or fingers.
Don't use while wearing soft contact lenses
Lumigan (bimatoprost) has a preservative called benzalkonium chloride in it. This preservative can get absorbed by soft contact lenses and damage them.
Take out your soft contact lenses before using the Lumigan (bimatoprost) eye drops. Then, wait at least 15 minutes before putting your contacts back in.
Lumigan (bimatoprost) dosage forms
Typical dosing for Lumigan (bimatoprost)
The typical dose is 1 drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening.
Interactions between Lumigan (bimatoprost) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
How much does Lumigan (bimatoprost) cost?
Lumigan (bimatoprost) contraindications
Allergy to other bimatoprost products
What are alternatives to Lumigan (bimatoprost)?
Lowering pressure in the eye in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension (high pressure in the eye)
High pressure in the eye caused by ocular hypertension (high pressure inside the eye) or open-angle glaucoma (the most common type of glaucoma)
Fluid build-up in the eye (ocular hypertension)
What is the latest news about Lumigan (bimatoprost)?
Lumigan (bimatoprost) images
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References
Best studies we foundAhn, J., et al. (2021). Binding affinity of benzalkonium chloride on contact lens surfaces and the effects on their physical properties. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.
Allergan, Inc. (2024). Lumigan- bimatoprost solution/drops [package insert]. DailyMed.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2020). Retina.
American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Ocular hypertension.
American Optometric Association. (2024). Evidence-based clinical practice guideline: Care of the patient with primary open-angle glaucoma - First edition.
Gandolfi, S., et al. (2001). Three-month comparison of bimatoprost and latanoprost in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Advances in Therapy.
Gudgel, D. T. (2025). Eye pressure. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Huang, A. S., et al. (2024). Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution. StatPearls.
Merchel Piovesan Pereira, B., et al. (2019). Benzalkonium chlorides: Uses, regulatory status, and microbial resistance. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
National Eye Institute. (n.d.). Parts of the eye.
National Eye Institute. (2024). How to put in eye drops.
National Eye Institute. (2024). Macular edema.
SafeMedication. (n.d.). How to use eye drops.
Schlessinger, D. I., et al. (2023). Biochemistry, melanin. StatPearls.
Somerset Therapeutics, LLC. (2025). Bimatoprost solution/ drops [package insert]. DailyMed.
Thompson, J.T. (n.d.). Macular edema. American Society of Retina Specialists.
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