Travoprost

1 medicine

Travoprost is a prostaglandin eye drop for glaucoma that can permanently darken the iris and the skin around the eye, an effect that does not reverse when treatment stops.

Travatan

Travoprost

2.5ml

Travatan is a eye care medication containing Travoprost, available as 2.5ml bottles.

from $57.80 / bottle View

Key facts

  • Travoprost, found in eye drops such as Travatan, is a prostaglandin analog that lowers pressure inside the eye by helping fluid drain more easily.
  • It is used once daily, usually in the evening, as a long-term treatment to protect the optic nerve from damage caused by high eye pressure.
  • Travoprost can permanently darken the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the skin around the eye, and it can lengthen and thicken eyelashes. The color change does not reverse once it happens, even if you stop the drops.
  • Seek urgent care for severe eye pain, sudden vision loss, or a spreading eye infection with discharge and fever.

What travoprost treats

Travoprost treats open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension, conditions in which pressure inside the eye is too high and can damage the optic nerve over time, leading to vision loss if untreated. It is also used for normal-tension glaucoma, where nerve damage occurs even though eye pressure measures within the usual range.

How travoprost works

Fluid is constantly produced inside the eye and normally drains out through a tissue called the trabecular meshwork and a secondary route called the uveoscleral pathway. Travoprost mimics natural prostaglandins to open up the uveoscleral pathway, so more fluid drains out and pressure inside the eye falls.

Before you take it

  • Tell your prescriber if you have active eye inflammation, a history of herpes eye infection, or recent eye surgery, since prostaglandin drops can worsen these.
  • Tell your prescriber if you wear contact lenses; remove them before applying the drops and wait at least 15 minutes before putting them back in, since the preservative can be absorbed by soft lenses.
  • Mention any other eye drops you use. If you use more than one type, space them at least 5 minutes apart.
  • Discuss travoprost with your prescriber if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, since data in these groups are limited.

Side effects

Common effects include eye redness, stinging, itching, and blurred vision right after applying the drop.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Severe eye pain or sudden loss or dimming of vision.
  • Signs of eye infection: redness with thick discharge, swelling, or fever.
  • Marked swelling of the eyelid or surrounding tissue.

Safety essentials

  • You should know before starting travoprost that it can permanently darken the iris and the skin around the eye, and thicken the eyelashes. This change is cosmetic but irreversible, and it can make the two eyes look different if only one is treated.
  • Wipe away any excess drop from the skin around the eye after applying it, since contact with skin elsewhere can cause unwanted hair growth or darkening there too.
  • Use travoprost regularly as prescribed; missed doses let eye pressure rise again, risking silent optic nerve damage even without symptoms.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.