Key takeaways:
Xiidra (lifitegrast) is a nonsteroid prescription eye-drop medication that treats dry eye disease.
Without insurance, 60 ampules (1 carton) of Xiidra (5%) can cost an average of $853.78. You could pay as little as $708.51 with a GoodRx coupon at select pharmacies.
Xiidra’s manufacturer offers financial assistance that can help people pay for the medication or eliminate copays. Bausch + Lomb's savings card allows eligible people with commercial insurance to pay as little as $0 for their Xiidra prescriptions. Those with financial or insurance hardships may qualify for the manufacturer's patient assistance program.
Save on related medications
Dry eye disease is a condition in which the eyes don't produce enough tears, which leads to eye discomfort and can lead to vision problems. Other common symptoms may include sensitivity to light and irritation in your eye. Xiidra (lifitegrast), a brand-name prescription medication, is an eye drop used to treat dry eye disease in adults.
Xiidra is thought to work by targeting inflammation in the eye. It blocks a protein called lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), which can create an inflammatory response in the eye. That makes Xiidra different from some other dry eye medications, which simply relieve symptoms by lubricating the eye. It's also a nonsteroid medication, which can be beneficial to your eyes, as steroid eye drops can raise your eye pressure and lead to glaucoma over time.
The cost of Xiidra, which has no generic version, depends on several factors, including whether you have health insurance that covers this medication. If your health insurance doesn’t cover Xiidra, a GoodRx coupon or manufacturer savings program can lower your cost at certain pharmacies.
Xiidra basics
Xiidra is FDA-approved for adults with dry eye disease. The chart below provides a summary of information about Xiidra.
Xiidra basics
| Brand name | Xiidra |
| Form (how it comes) | Ophthalmic solution (liquid eye drops) in ampules |
| FDA-approved use | Treatment for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease |
| Benefits |
|
| Possible side effects |
|
Is Xiidra covered by insurance?
Some health insurance plans cover brand-name Xiidra. Nearly all Medicaid plans cover this dry eye treatment, as do most commercial plans not purchased through an Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) marketplace.
About two-thirds of Medicare plans, but less than half of ACA plans, cover Xiidra.
If you have insurance, review your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary (list of covered medications) to determine whether brand-name Xiidra is covered. If not, contact your prescription plan provider and ask about your coverage options. You can also discuss alternatives with your prescriber or a pharmacist.
How insurance covers Xiidra
The following chart shows the likelihood of coverage for Xiidra, based on the type of insurance plan. If covered, there’s a higher likelihood than with most medications that your health insurance plan will require enrollees to get prior authorization or do step therapy.
Insurance coverage for Xiidra (5% eye drops)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Xiidra, 1 carton of 60 ampules | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
Commercial plans (not including plans purchased through an ACA marketplace) | 93.9% | 52.1% | 13.5% |
47.1% | 34.4% | 3.2% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 66.8% | 1.5% | 1.2% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 99.5% | 58.1% | 16.6% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of June 13, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
If your insurance plan doesn’t cover Xiidra, you still have options:
Ask your prescriber about switching to a less-costly dry eye treatment that meets your needs, such as a lower-cost generic of another medication.
Request a formulary exception from your insurance company to have Xiidra covered. If your request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal with your plan.
Use a GoodRx coupon to save on your prescription.
When it’s time for open enrollment, compare different health insurance plans to find one that provides the coverage you need.
How much does Xiidra cost without insurance?
Without insurance, what you pay for Xiidra depends on several factors, including your:
Specific pharmacy
Geographic location
Fill quantity
Starting the day with parched eyes? Learn about several reasons you're waking up with dry eyes, and what to do about it.
Solutions for treating dry eye: Explore these eye drops and home remedies that can help you find relief for dry eyes.
Xiidra vs. Restasis: See how these two prescription-only eye drops, which work in different ways, treat chronic dry eye.
Since Xiidra is a brand-name medication, it may cost more than other treatments for dry eye, particularly generic options. The following chart shows what you might pay for Xiidra as a cash-pay consumer without discounts.
Xiidra costs
Xiidra form and dose | Average cash price |
1 carton of 60 ampules (5%) |
Ways to save on Xiidra with and without insurance
Xiidra may be a stretch for your budget. Even if your insurance plan covers this medication, you may be responsible for copays or coinsurance. Whether or not you have insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost. Here are five options.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
You can use a free GoodRx coupon to lower the price of your Xiidra prescription at your pharmacy. For example, without insurance, you could pay as little as $708.51 for 60 ampules (1 carton) of Xiidra (5%) with a GoodRx coupon at certain pharmacies. Visit www.goodrx.com or download the GoodRx app on your mobile device to get and use a coupon today. Here’s how to do so:
On the app or website, type “Xiidra” in the search field.
Choose the desired quantity. Input your ZIP code or address, or select “Use my current location” so the results show local pharmacies.
Choose how to receive your coupon (printed, emailed, or texted).
Take your coupon with you to the pharmacy. You can also present the coupon to the pharmacy staff early in the filling process to avoid delays at the pickup counter.
2. Compare prices at various pharmacies
GoodRx lets you easily compare Xiidra costs at different pharmacies in your area. You might find it’s worth traveling a bit further to get a discounted price.
3. Try a manufacturer-sponsored savings program
With or without insurance, you may be able to save on Xiidra by using the Bausch + Lomb Xiidra My Saviings Program. The manufacturer also offers lower-price options through its selected mail-order pharmacy and for people who qualify for its patient assistance program.
Xiidra My Saviings Program
For people with commercial insurance: With a Xiidra copay card, eligible consumers can pay as little as $0 for their first 90-day prescription and up to 12 fills per year. People who have government insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare are not eligible for this program.
For people without insurance and for those whose prescription plans don’t cover Xiidra: Through the Bausch Access Program, the cost is $250 for each 30-day fill, $500 for each 60-day fill, and $750 for each 90-day fill.
BlinkRx mail-order pharmacy
You may be able to access a lower price on Xiidra by using BlinkRx, the manufacturer’s preferred mail-order pharmacy. This pharmacy can work with your insurance plan, no copay card is needed, and shipping is free.
Bausch + Lomb Patient Assistance Program
Xiidra is included in the manufacturer’s patient assistance program, which is available to people who have experienced financial and insurance hardships. You could qualify to receive free medication for up to a year and an option to renew annually. Click here to find out if you’re eligible.
4. Ask your prescriber about alternatives
Xiidra isn’t the only treatment for dry eye. Ask your prescriber about lower-cost options that may adequately treat your condition. While there is no generic available for this medication, there may be another dry eye treatment that is more affordable and works for you.
5. Use tax-advantaged healthcare funds
Consider using a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to cover your medication. These types of accounts have multiple tax benefits when used to pay for healthcare expenses. This can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings. Review your account’s contribution limits, rollover limits, and eligible expenses.
The bottom line
Xiidra (lifitegrast) is a prescription-only, nonsteroid eye drop that treats dry eye disease. The amount you pay depends on factors such as the pharmacy you use and your insurance status. If you don’t have insurance, the average price for 60 ampules (1 carton) of Xiidra (5%) is $853.78, but you could pay as little as $708.51 with a GoodRx coupon at select pharmacies.
There are also ways to reduce your costs through Bausch + Lomb's manufacturer savings options or the Xiidra patient assistance program. You can also save by using funds from a tax-advantaged healthcare account, asking your prescriber about cost-effective alternatives, and comparison shopping at different pharmacies.
Why trust our experts?
Methodology
We obtained national prescription coverage data for each medication from Managed Markets Insight & Technology (MMIT). The data reflects health insurance coverage as of June 2025.
We calculated the percentage of enrollees in plans that cover each medication by dividing the number of enrollees covered for the medication within a specific insurance channel (e.g., ACA, Medicare, Medicaid) by the total number of enrollees in all plans within that channel.
We determined the percentage of enrollees in plans with a prior authorization requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that required prior authorization for the medication within each channel.
Finally, we measured the percentage of enrollees in plans with a step therapy requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that imposed step therapy requirements for the medication in each channel.
These estimates, derived from national MMIT coverage data, provide insight into health insurance coverage for each medication. They take into account restrictions such as prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits. The percentages are expressed relative to the total number of enrollees covered by various insurance channels, including the ACA, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Bausch + Lomb. (n.d.). Copay program.
Bausch + Lomb. (n.d.). U.S. assistance programs.
Bausch + Lomb. (n.d.). Xiidra cost & savings information.
Bausch & Lomb. (2024). Xiidra- lifitegrast solution/ drops [package insert].
Bausch + Lomb Patient Assistance Program. (n.d.). Find out if you may be eligible to apply to the Bausch + Lomb patient assistance program.
Bausch + Lomb Patient Assistance Program. (n.d.). Is your product included in the program?
Donnenfeld, E., et al. (2025). Lifitegrast shows improvement in dry eye as early as 2 weeks. Healio.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Mukamal, R. (2024). Choosing the best lubricant eye drops for dry eyes. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
National Eye Institute. (2025). Dry eye. National Institutes of Health.
Xiidra. (n.d.). My savings program.
