Prescription Prices That Won't Sting

Drug Details

Brimonidine Tartrate

( Alphagan P )

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jan 25, 2024

Drug Details

Generic Name:

Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution

Common Brands:

Alphagan P

Availability:

Prescription only

Therapeutic Class:

Alpha adrenergic receptor agonists

Forms:

Ophthalmic solution (eye drops)

Administration:

Ocular administration (by direct application to the eye)

Therapeutic Uses:

To treat open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Controlled Status:

Not a controlled substance

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Drug Class

Brimonidine (brih-moh-nih-deen) is an alpha 2 adrenergic receptor agonist.

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Age Range

Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution is approved for use in adults and children 2 years of age and older.

Uses

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Uses

Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution is used for the medical treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure inside the eye is increased, causing optic nerve damage and gradual loss of vision. Ocular hypertension is a condition in which the pressure in the eye is high.

There may be other uses of brimonidine—your doctor or pharmacist can give you further brimonidine drug information.

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Mechanism of Action

Brimonidine decreases intraocular pressure (pressure inside the eye) by reducing aqueous humour production (this is a type of fluid in the eye). It also affects aqueous humor dynamics and increases the outflow of this fluid from the eye.

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Doses

The usual dose of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution is one drop in the affected eye three times a day, with the doses 8 hours apart. The peak ocular hypotensive effect (pressure lowering effect) of brimonidine occurs 2 hours post-dosing.

Directions

How To Use Brimonidine (Alphagan P)

One drop of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution should be applied to the affected eye three times a day at 8-hour intervals. If you are also using other eye drops to lower intraocular pressure, make sure you apply them at least 5 minutes apart.

Read the prescription label carefully and use brimonidine exactly as instructed by your doctor. Do not change the dose or dosing frequency unless your doctor tells you.

If you wear contact lenses, remove them before applying brimonidine and wait 15 minutes before putting them back in. This medication contains a preservative called benzalkonium chloride, which can damage contact lenses.

Before applying brimonidine, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Do not touch the dropper tip to your eye or any other surface. Tilt your head slightly back and pull your lower eyelid down to make a pocket. Squeeze one drop of the medicine into this pocket and gently close your eyes. Apply gentle pressure on the inner corner of your eye and tilt your head down for a couple of minutes. Replace the dropper in the bottle. Do not rinse or wipe the dropper. Wash your hands again to remove any residual medicine. Wait at least 5 minutes before instilling other intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering eye drops or any other eye drops.

Brimonidine is only for application to the surface of the eye. Do not swallow this medicine or apply it to any other part of the body, such as the mouth or nose.

Brimonidine can help to control your condition but will not cure it. Continue using brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution even if you don’t have any symptoms. Do not stop using brimonidine without talking to your healthcare professional.

Missed dose: If you forget to instill a dose of brimonidine, do it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and instill the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not apply a double dose or use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store brimonidine at room temperature (between 15-30° C or 59-86° F) away from moisture, heat, and direct light in a tightly closed container. Do not store medications in the bathroom, where they can be exposed to moisture and heat. Keep all medications safely out of reach of children and pets.

Unused medicine: Unused or expired brimonidine should be disposed of in a way that children, other people, and pets cannot get to them. Do not throw brimonidine in the trash or flush it down the toilet. The best way to dispose of expired or unneeded brimonidine is through your local waste disposal company or a drug take-back program. Learn more about proper medication disposal.

NOTE: This medication guide is a summary and may not contain all possible drug information on brimonidine. The information contained here may not be up-to-date. This sheet is for information purposes only. If you have questions about brimonidine, talk to your healthcare professionals for medical advice.

Discounted prices for brimonidine (Alphagan P)
start at $11.24.

Get your FREE BuzzRx card and
start saving today!

CHECK PRICES

Side Effects

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Side Effects

Possible side effects of brimonidine are listed below. Tell your doctor if these side effects are severe or do not go away in a few days.

Temporary eye irritation (redness, itching, burning, or stinging)
Blurred vision
Eye dryness
Watery eyes
Swelling or redness of the eyelids
Sensitivity to light
Drowsiness
Headache
Sleep difficulties
Dry mouth
Heartburn
Flu-like symptoms or cold symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, pain or pressure in the face)

Rarely, brimonidine can cause more serious side effects. Seek immediate medical help if you have the following serious symptoms:

Skin rash, hives, itching
Difficulty breathing
Visual field defect (blind spot)
Seeing flashes of light or specks
Dizziness
Nausea
Fainting

The above list may not include all the potential adverse effects of brimonidine. Contact your healthcare professional if the side effects are unusual or severe or they do not get better over time. You can also report unusual side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Overdose: In case of accidental oral ingestion of brimonidine, contact your doctor immediately. You can also call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 if a person cannot be awakened, has trouble breathing, has collapsed, or has had a seizure.

Systemic exposure to brimonidine can result in hypotension (low blood pressure) in adults. Treatment for an oral overdose includes supportive and symptomatic therapy. In infants with congenital glaucoma, brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution can cause respiratory depression, slowed heart rate, low blood pressure, low body temperature, low muscle tone, pale skin, drowsiness, lethargy, and coma. This medication is contraindicated (not for use) in pediatric patients below 2 years of age.

Source: FDA

Warnings

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution can cause serious medical problems in some people. Talk to your doctor about other options to treat open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension if you are at increased risk of complications from this medication. Some of the risks of brimonidine use include:

VASCULAR INSUFFICIENCY: Brimonidine has vasoconstrictive effects (it causes the narrowing of blood vessels) and can, therefore, increase the likelihood of vascular insufficiency (low blood flow). This medication should be used with caution in people with certain medical conditions such as depression, orthostatic hypotension, Raynaud’s phenomenon, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, thromboangiitis obliterans, and severe cardiovascular disease. Give your doctor a complete medical history before starting treatment with brimonidine.
CONTAMINATION: The use of eye drops that come in multiple-dose containers, such as brimonidine ophthalmic, carries the risk of contamination. This can lead to bacterial eye infections such as bacterial keratitis. The risk of eye infections is higher in people with corneal disease or a disrupted ocular epithelium (the outer protective covering of the eye). Follow hygiene precautions carefully when using brimonidine to lower the risk of contamination and infections.

Precautions (Alphagan P) Before Starting Brimonidine

Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to the active ingredient brimonidine, any of the inactive ingredients in brimonidine eye drops, or any other drugs. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.

Tell your doctor if you have a pre-existing medical problem. Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution may not be safe for people with certain health conditions, such as postural or orthostatic hypotension (feeling dizzy when going from lying or sitting to standing), depression, circulation problems such as thromboangitis obliterans or Raynaud's disease, blood flow problems in the heart or brain, heart disease, kidney disease, or liver disease.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible drug interactions between brimonidine ophthalmic and your other medicines.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, are planning a pregnancy, or are breastfeeding.

Precautions During Use of Brimonidine (Alphagan P)

Keep all your healthcare appointments while taking brimonidine. Your doctor may want to adjust your dose and monitor you for any adverse reactions.

If you are using other eye drops, including eye drops for elevated intraocular pressure, make sure you apply them at least 5 minutes away from brimonidine.

If you wear soft contact lenses, remove them before using brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution. Wait at least 15 minutes before putting your contact lenses back in.

Tell your healthcare professional if you become pregnant while on brimonidine. Do not breastfeed while using this medicine.

Let your doctors know that you are using brimonidine ophthalmic before any surgery, including dental procedures.

If you have eye surgery, an eye infection, or an eye injury while on brimonidine eye drops, ask your healthcare professionals if you can continue using the same bottle of brimonidine eye drops.

Brimonidine ophthalmic can cause drowsiness and temporary blurring of vision. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do other activities that require clear vision until you can see clearly.

Avoid drinking alcohol while using brimonidine. Alcohol can worsen the drowsiness caused by brimonidine.

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Drug Interactions

Concomitant administration of brimonidine eye drops with certain other medicines can affect how the medicines work. Possible drug interactions between brimonidine and other medicines can also increase the risk of severe adverse events. Your doctor may change the dose of your medications, switch you to a different medication, or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between brimonidine and your other medicines.

Some of the medications that can interact with brimonidine include:

Antidepressants belonging to a drug class called monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants
Certain antibiotics, such as linezolid
Certain chemotherapy drugs, such as procarbazine
Opioid pain medications and other CNS depressants
Muscle relaxants
Antihypertensives and cardiac glycosides

The above list does not contain all the drug interactions of brimonidine. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, non-prescription medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

Pros & Cons

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Pros and Cons

pros header.svg

Brimonidine ophthalmic is effective in treating ocular hypertension and elevated intraocular pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma.
It starts working quickly and has a peak effect 2 hours after a dose.
You can store this medicine at room temperature.
There is a lower-cost generic available.

cons header.svg

Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution can cause temporary eye irritation (stinging, burning) and blurred vision.
You need to instill the eye drops 3 times a day at 8-hour intervals.
You have to take out contact lenses before using this medicine.

Pharmacist Tips

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Tips from Pharmacists

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using the eye drops.
To prevent contamination, do not touch the dropper tip to your eye or any other surface. Also, do not rinse or wipe the dropper after use.
If you wear contact lenses, remove them before instilling brimonidine and wait 15 minutes before putting them back in.
Do not use other eye drops within 5 minutes of using brimonidine.
Brimonidine can cause drowsiness and blurred vision. Do not drive or perform other hazardous activities until you are fully awake and have clear vision.
It is difficult to tell if your eye pressure is improving without an eye test. Do not stop using brimonidine even if you are symptom-free.

Rx Savings Tips

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) Rx Savings Tips

Brimonidine is a generic medication and is available at significantly lower prices than the brand name drug Alphagan P. Brand name and generic brimonidine contains the same medicine and are equally effective and safe. Like with most medications, the generic drug offers better value. A BuzzRx brimonidine coupon can result in big savings on the brand names and generic form of the drug. With a BuzzRx discount card, savings card, or discount coupons, the medication could cost you a fraction of retail prices. Brimonidine may be under $11.50 for one eye dropper bottle of the 5 ml of 0.2% dose at Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS Pharmacy, and other participating pharmacies with a BuzzRx discount card or free coupon. For the biggest discounts on brimonidine, give the checkout clerk your BuzzRx brimonidine discount coupon when you drop off your prescriptions at the pharmacy counter.

Lowest Price for Brimonidine (Alphagan P)

Brand
$199.73

Generic
$11.24

VIEW DISCOUNTS
Pricing based on most commonly-filled versions. Select the strength and quantity of your medication for the most accurate pricing.

Common Questions

Common Questions about Brimonidine (Alphagan P)

How quickly does brimonidine start working?

Brimonidine starts working within an hour, and its peak effect occurs about 2 hours after a dose. For best results, you need to use this medicine 3 times a day with the doses 8 hours apart.

Is brimonidine a beta blocker?

No, brimonidine is a selective alpha 2 adrenergic agonist. It works in a different way than beta blockers. A combination of brimonidine and a beta-blocker (timolol) is available (trade name Combigan) and is used to treat elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma.

Does brimonidine make eyelashes grow?

Brimonidine is not known to make eyelashes grow. Another similar-sounding glaucoma medication called bimatoprost (Lumigan) can cause eyelash growth as a side effect. Bimatoprost is sold as Latisse to thicken, lengthen, and darken eyebrows.

Can you buy brimonidine over the counter?

Brimonidine (Alphagan P) is a prescription medication and is used to treat open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. However, a medication called Lumify, which also contains brimonidine tartrate as the active ingredient, is available over the counter to relieve redness of the eyes.

Can you use brimonidine long-term?

If brimonidine ophthalmic is successful in lowering IOP (intraocular pressure), your doctor may prescribe it long-term.

What is the price of brimonidine without insurance?

Without insurance, brimonidine can be as high as $24.74, but with a free BuzzRx prescription discount coupon, you could pay as low as $11.24 for the most common version of this medication. Use the BuzzRx drug price look-up tool to find the lowest discounted price, and be sure to enter the correct dosage, form, and quantity for the most accurate pricing. While generics tend to have the best savings, you can also use your BuzzRx card and coupons to purchase brand-name versions. It never hurts to ask your pharmacist to try BuzzRx when filling or refilling any of your prescription drugs—whether you have insurance or not.

What is the price of brimonidine with insurance?

Ask your pharmacist or insurance provider for your copay price on brimonidine—Copay amounts vary depending on the type of insurance plan you have and if there is a deductible to reach before prescription drug coverage begins.

You could save up to 80% on your prescription medication with a free BuzzRx discount coupon for brimonidine. When using the BuzzRx lookup tool to find the price of your medicine, be sure to enter the correct dosage, form, and quantity to receive the most accurate discounted pricing. It never hurts to ask your pharmacist to try BuzzRx when filling or refilling any of your prescriptions—whether you have insurance or not.