Key takeaways
Generic Combigan is FDA-approved and sold as brimonidine tartrate-timolol.
Brand-name and generic Combigan contain the same ingredients, at the same dosage, and are FDA-approved for the same purposes.
Generic Combigan is made by different drug manufacturers and is significantly cheaper than brand-name Combigan.
Combigan is a brand-name prescription eye drop medication used to treat high eye pressure. It contains a combination of two other prescription eye drops, brimonidine tartrate (an alpha-adrenergic agonist) and timolol maleate (a beta blocker).
Brand-name medications like Combigan are often expensive, but the good news is that the generic for Combigan, brimonidine tartrate-timolol, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022.
Combigan generic availability |
|
|---|---|
| Generic name | Brimonidine tartrate-timolol |
| FDA approval date of the generic version | April 2022 |
| Is there a generic available for sale in the U.S.? | Yes |
Comparing brand-name Combigan vs. the generic
Generic Combigan is sold as brimonidine tartrate-timolol, the combined name of its active ingredients. It contains the same formulation as brand-name Combigan and was approved for sale in U.S. pharmacies in April 2022.
Brand-name and generic Combigan are more similar than they are different. Similarities include the following:
- Active ingredients: Both contain 0.2% brimonidine tartrate and 0.5% timolol.
- FDA-approved uses: Both are approved to treat elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
- Dosage: Per the prescribing information, place one drop in the affected eye(s) two times daily. Remove contact lenses before use.
- Dosage form appearance: Both are sterile liquids with a clear, greenish-yellow color.
- Effects: Both help regulate IOP by decreasing the amount of fluid in the eye. Also, both can cause side effects such as redness, stinging, or, in more serious cases, allergic reaction.
- Drug interactions: According to the prescribing information, Combigan can interact with certain high blood pressure medications, tricyclic antidepressants, clonidine, and more.
Small differences between Combigan and brimonidine tartrate-timolol may include:
- Manufacturer: Allergan (an AbbVie company) makes Combigan. Generic Combigan was first sold by Sandoz Inc., but is now made and sold by multiple drug companies.
- Inactive ingredients: The drug labels list the same active and inactive ingredients, but the amounts of pH-balancing or preservative ingredients differ slightly.
- Packaging: Generic and brand-name boxes and bottle labels may have different logos, fonts, or colors.
- Cost: Generic drugs, including prescription eye drops, are almost always cheaper than their brand-name counterparts.
Bottom line: While some research suggests there are slight differences between other brand-name and generic drugs, there seems to be no discernible difference in the effectiveness of generic versus brand-name Combigan.
How much does generic Combigan cost?
The average price of brand-name Combigan is $278 for 5, 0.2-0.5% solutions (quantity in ml). Cash payers can pay as little as $28 for a 5-pack of the 0.2-0.5% solution by using a SingleCare coupon at Food Lion.
All that said, it’s important to understand that brand-name and generic prescription drug prices can vary based on your insurance coverage, pharmacy, and location.
Brand vs. generic Combigan prices |
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|---|---|---|
| Comparing prices | Brand-name Combigan | Combigan generic (brimonidine/timolol) |
| Average cost without insurance | $278 for 5, 0.2-0.5% solution of brand-name Combigan | $238 per per 5, 0.2-0.5% solution of generic Combigan |
| SingleCare’s lowest price | $278 for 5, 0.2-0.5% solution of brand-name Combigan at Kroger pharmacy | $28 per per 5, 0.2-0.5% solution of generic Combigan at Food Lion pharmacy |
| Free coupons | Combigan coupons | Brimonidine/timolol coupons |
Is Combigan covered by insurance?
Insurance coverage of Combigan varies by plan, but glaucoma eye drops are “universally recognized as medically necessary,” says Allison Buttarazzi, MD, a double board-certified physician and co-owner of Maine Street Medical near Portland, Maine.
That said, coverage may differ between brand-name and generic eye drops. “The smartest move is to check your plan’s formulary, since tiers and copays vary by plan and change year to year,” says Roya Javid, MD, MHS, a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Coastal Valley Dermatology, and healthy aging specialist in Monterey, California.
People with glaucoma or high eye pressure without insurance coverage for Combigan may be able to save by shopping around or switching to a Combigan alternative.
Because glaucoma eye drops are universally recognized as medically necessary to prevent vision loss, they are typically covered by most standard insurance policies. They aren’t considered a niche or ‘luxury’ specialty medication.
How to switch to the generic version
Because they are the same medication, switching from brand-name to generic Combigan is easy. Generic substitution regulations vary by state, but in some places, you can tell your pharmacy that you’d prefer to purchase the generic version of brand-name prescriptions whenever possible.
The exception is a situation called “Dispense as Written,” or DAW. “Most prescriptions let the pharmacy swap in an FDA-approved generic automatically. DAW turns that off. It’s the prescriber saying, ‘I mean this specific product, for a reason,’” Dr. Javid says.
Dr. Buttarazzi says she uses DAW in three specific situations:
- When a patient has experienced new side effects or decreased effectiveness while on the generic.
- When a patient has an allergy or intolerance to the generic’s inactive ingredient, such as a binder or filler.
- When she thinks a patient would struggle or find it stressful to manage the “mental load” or “visual confusion” or getting pills in different shapes or colors each time they fill their prescription.
Both Drs. Buttarazzi and Javid point out that DAWs are an exception, not standard procedure.
Tips for lowering your glaucoma medication costs
1. Get a SingleCare discount card
SingleCare discount cards and coupons are free. At participating pharmacies, a discount card or Combigan coupon can lower the cost from $278 to $28 for a 5-pack of 0.2-0.5% solution. Keep in mind that this discount cannot be combined with insurance coverage. You can use the discount or run your prescription through insurance, but not both.
Save up to 80% on Combigan with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
2. Ask for a 90-day supply
Requesting a 90-day supply of Combigan (brand-name or generic) or other medications is a common strategy for saving on prescriptions. If you know you’ll need ongoing treatment (for at least 3 months), asking your provider for a 90-day prescription can save time and money.
3. Shop around at different pharmacies
Prescription medication costs can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, even in the same town. Even small price differences can add up over time, so it’s a good idea to check with a handful of pharmacies in your area.
4. Consult a healthcare provider about low-cost treatments
If you’re struggling to afford your Combigan prescription, tell your healthcare provider. They may offer to help you access manufacturer coupons or identify a glaucoma treatment with a lower out-of-pocket cost. Consider referencing your insurance company’s formulary, which lists medication costs by tier. If the formulary online is confusing, call them to clarify.
What are the best substitutes for Combigan?
Combigan isn’t the only prescription ophthalmic solution for lowering intraocular pressure, and not everyone should use it.
Common Combigan alternatives include prostaglandin analogs (PGA), such as Lumigan (bimatoprost) or Xalatan (latanoprost), or other combination eye solutions, such as Cosopt or Rocklatan.
It’s important for an ophthalmologist or optometrist familiar with your entire health history and medical conditions, including non-eye-related issues, to choose the best treatment for you. According to the prescribing information, Combigan is not recommended for people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or serious heart problems (ie, heart failure, cardiac failure, cardiogenic shock, atrioventricular block, or sinus bradycardia).
Never switch eye drops without consulting your healthcare provider. For personalized medical advice, consult an ophthalmologist or optometrist near you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about generic Combigan
Is the Combigan and its generic medicine packaging the same as the brand name?
No, the generic and brand-name Combigan dropper bottles have different labels.
The brand-name label reads “Combigan” and features a blue triangle with a blue-and-magenta liquid drop on the front. The generic label reads “Briminodine Tartrate/Timolol Maleate Ophthalmic Solution” on a plain blue-and-white background.
Why did it take so long for a generic to become available?
Brand-name prescriptions, including eye drops, are protected by patent for several years after launch. The drug company Allergan received approval to release brand-name Combigan in 2007. Other companies could not copy the Combigan “recipe” until Allergan’s patents expired.
Can I switch back to the brand-name if I don’t like the generic?
Yes, as long as you have a prescription for brand-name Combigan. Talk to a healthcare professional if you want to switch from generic to brand-name prescription eye drops.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Jul. 7, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- ANDA 091087, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2022)
- Combigan (brimonidine tartrate and timolol maleate ophthalmic
- solution) 0.2%/0.5%, for topical ophthalmic use, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2026)
- Assessment of cariation in state regulation of generic drug and interchangeable biologic substitutions, JAMA Internal Medicine (2020)
- FDA approval of brimonidine/timolol fixed combination may boost adherence, Ophthalmology Times (2007)
- BRIMONIDINE TARTRATE AND TIMOLOL MALEATE solution/ drops, DailyMed (2024)
- Brand-Name antidepressants outperform their generic counterparts in preventing hospitalization for depression: The real-world evidence from Taiwan, International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Featured experts
- Allison Buttarazzi, MD, a double board-certified physician and co-owner of Maine Street Medical near Portland, Maine.
- Roya Javid, MD, MHS, a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Coastal Valley Dermatology, and healthy aging specialist in Monterey, California
- Medically accurate: SingleCare’s Medical Review Board analyzes all of our content to confirm it’s in line with current medical advice.
- Evidence-based: Our content is sourced from reputable U.S.-based healthcare professionals and peer-reviewed research.
- Trustworthy: All of SingleCare’s content goes through a multi-phase review process by our writers, editors, and Medical Board in order to provide clear and credible information.