Following up on last week’s newest Zenlens scleral contact lens launch, Bausch + Lomb Corporation is introducing a new LUMIFY product to the U.S. market: LUMIFY Preservative Free (PF) redness reliever eye drops.
How exciting! Let’s start with a look at the LUMIFY brand.
The LUMIFY brand was originally kicked off in 2018 with the launch of LUMIFY redness reliever drops—notably, not a PF product.
The product line was later expanded in 2023 when B+L introduced LUMIFY Eye Illuminations, a new line of specialty eyecare products developed specifically for application to the sensitive eye area.
Included in these:
- Micellar Cleansing Water and Eye Makeup remover
- Nourishing Lash & Brow Serum
- Hydra-Gel Brightening Eye Cream
Check out our rundown on this launch here.
Circle back to the original LUMIFY eye drops for a moment.
These drops are marketed as the first and only over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops with an FDA-approved formulation featuring brimonidine tartrate (0.025%) to treat ocular redness.
Specifically: The product is intended to relieve “redness of the eye due to minor eye irritations”—reportedly working in just 1 minute and lasting up to 8 hours.
- Its target patients: Adult and pediatric patients aged 5+ (for patients under age 5, consult with an eyecare provider)
Relief in 1 minute? That’s pretty fast …
Indeed it is.
That data is from a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 efficacy study of 60 participants. The numbers:
- 95% of patients reported significant improvements in 60 seconds
- Nearly 80% maintained significant ocular redness reduction 8 hours after administration.
As for more supporting clinical data: B+L reported the drops were evaluated for their safety and efficacy in six trials conducted on 600+ patients—with no evidence of allergic reactions reported.
- Further: See here for details from a 2018 study published in Optometry and Vision Science, which found no evidence of tachyphylaxis.
Now to this PF version.
To start—a major difference between the two:
- While the LUMIFY drops are packaged in a sterile 0.25 fl oz (7.5 mL) bottle, LUMIFY PF is packaged with 20 single-use vials (0.013 fl oz [0.4 mL] each).
Otherwise: Approved by the FDA in April 2024, the new PF drop mirrors its non-PF counterpart in efficacy, duration, and target patient group—but excludes the obvious distinction in its formulation: no preservatives.
- Those details: The formulation’s active ingredient of low-dose (0.025%) brimonidine tartrate 0.025% (see its inactive ingredients) selectively targets redness for patients with preservative sensitivity.
How often should it be administered?
One drop instilled into the affected eye(s) is advised every 6 to 8 hours—and should not be repeated more than four times in a day.
Importantly: Once the drop is instilled, the single-use vial should be discarded immediately and not re-used.
A few other things to keep in mind on this:
- Contact lenses should be removed before instillation and only reinserted 10 minutes following product use
- Wait 5 minutes in between using other ophthalmic products
- Avoid touching the bottle tip to any surface
- Replace cap after each use to avoid contamination
And what makes both LUMIFY drops unique?
As B+L has noted: These products are the only OTC redness relievers that “selectively target eye redness and offer excellent results with a lower risk of rebound redness and loss of efficacy when used as directed.”
“Consumers often say how amazed they are at the difference our original LUMIFY makes to their eyes, with over 50,000 five-star reviews as proof,” stated John Ferris, president, Consumer, B+L.
- See here and click here for a look at some of those reviews.
So! Where can I purchase these LUMIFY PF drops?
The product is now available at “most U.S. retailers nationwide,” according to the company.
Among these:
As for pricing: Around $26.99 (total amount may differ depending on the retailer)