Bimatoprost is a prostamide medicine that treats high pressure inside the eye (ocular hypertension) and glaucoma.
High pressure can happen when too much fluid builds up inside your eye.
If it's not treated, high pressure in the eye can damage your optic nerve and cause vision loss or blindness.
Glaucoma is usually caused by a build-up of pressure in the eye when the fluid cannot drain properly. This pressure damages the optic nerve. Bimatoprost helps to drain the fluid from the eye and reduce the pressure.
Bimatoprost is only available on prescription.
It comes as eye drops in bottles or single-dose droppers. Some bottled eye drops contain a preservative (benzalkonium chloride) to keep them sterile. Other bottled bimatoprost eye drops and the single-dose droppers do not contain a preservative.
Your doctor may also prescribe timolol eye drops (a beta blocker) to use with bimatoprost.
There are some combined eye drops. The brands Eyzeetan and Ganfort contain bimatoprost and timolol.
Key facts
- You'll usually use bimatoprost eye drops once a day, usually in the evening.
- The eye drops will start to reduce the pressure in your eye after 4 hours and will continue working for over 24 hours.
- If it works for you, you'll usually use bimatoprost for the rest of your life.
- It's important to use your eye drops regularly and to go for check-ups to make sure your vision is not getting worse.
- Common side effects include permanent eye colour change, red and itchy eyelids, and a feeling that something's in your eye.
- If you have blurred vision after you put the eye drops in, do not drive, cycle, or use machinery or tools until you can see clearly again.