Travatan Z: Generic form, side effects, cost, alternatives, and more

Travatan Z is a brand-name prescription drug. It's FDA-approved to treat increased pressure in the eye that's caused by either:

Travatan Z can be used in adults and children ages 16 years and older. For more information about Travatan Z's uses, see the "Travatan Z uses" section below.

Travatan Z contains the active drug travoprost. It works to help reduce eye pressure by increasing the amount of fluid that drains from your eye. Travatan Z belongs to a group of medications called prostaglandin analogs.

The drug comes as a liquid eye drop solution, in one strength: 0.004%.

You’ll typically use Travatan Z drops once a day, in the evening.

Travatan Z's manufacturer used to make a different formulation of the drug called Travatan. But Travatan is no longer available.

Both Travatan Z and Travatan contain the same active drug: travoprost. However, Travatan also contained a preservative called benzalkonium chloride. This preservative could cause side effects such as eye irritation, redness, and itchiness.

In comparison, Travatan Z contains a different preservative called SofZia*. This preservative is less likely to cause eye irritation, redness, and itchiness, and it has fewer side effects than benzalkonium chloride. For this reason, only Travatan Z is available for use at this time. This article focuses on Travatan Z, not Travatan.

* SofZia contains a few different ingredients. These include boric acid, propylene glycol, sorbitol, and zinc chloride.

For information about the effectiveness of Travatan Z, see the "Travatan Z uses" section below.

Travatan Z is a brand-name drug that contains the active drug travoprost. This drug is also available as a generic medication. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.

The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

If you’re interested in using the generic form of Travatan Z, talk with your doctor. They can tell you if it comes in forms and strengths that can be used for your condition.

Travatan Z can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Travatan Z. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

For more information about the possible side effects of Travatan Z, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs it has approved. If you would like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with Travatan Z, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects* of Travatan Z can include:

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or don't go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* This is a partial list of mild side effects from Travatan Z. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or view Travatan Z's prescribing information.

Serious side effects from Travatan Z aren't common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include:

* For more information about this side effect, see "Side effect details" below.

Side effects in children using Travatan Z are likely to be similar to side effects in adults. There aren't any known side effects of Travatan Z that only affect children.

Travatan Z is approved for use in children ages 16 years and older, as well as adults. It's not recommended for use in children younger than this. This is because changes in eye pigmentation (such as changes in eye color, eyelids, and eyelashes) are a possible side effect of Travatan Z.

And the possible effects of long-term pigmentation aren't known. Also, it's not known what side effects may occur after long-term Travatan Z treatment in children.

You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. Here's some detail on certain side effects this drug may cause.

Note: In the clinical trials of Travatan Z described in this section, people taking Travatan Z were not compared with people taking a placebo. (A placebo is a treatment with no active drug.) So, it isn't known how many people in these trials may have had certain side effects while taking a placebo.

As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Travatan Z. However, it isn't known how many people may have had an allergic reaction to Travatan Z in clinical studies.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:

Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Travatan Z, as the reaction could become severe. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Eye redness was the most common side effect people had while using Travatan Z in clinical trials. Eye redness may also be called conjunctival hyperemia.

In clinical trials, 30% to 50% of people using Travatan Z developed eye redness. And about 3% of people stopped using the drug because of eye redness.

If you have eye redness that bothers you, talk with your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to reduce this side effect.

It's possible for Travatan Z to cause color changes in or around your eye. Changes in color may affect one or more of the following areas:

In clinical trials, 1% to 4% of people had eye side effects while using Travatan Z. These side effects included color changes in the iris. But the exact number of people who may have had color changes that affected their irises, eyelids, or eyelashes isn't known.

In these clinical trials, the most common change that occurred was the iris, eyelids, or eyelashes becoming brown or darker in color. Color changes affecting the iris are likely to be permanent after you stop using Travatan Z.

However, color changes that affect the eyelids and eyelashes may go away after you stop using the drug.

You may not notice darkening of your irises, eyelids, or eyelashes for months or even years after you start using Travatan Z. This is because these changes may occur very slowly over time. So it may take months or years before they cause a noticeable difference.

If you have color changes in or around your eye while you’re using Travatan Z, talk with your doctor. They’ll probably monitor you more often than usual.

In addition to possible color changes that affect the eyelashes (described above), Travatan Z can cause:

It isn't known how many people may have had eyelash changes while using Travatan Z in clinical trials. However, these changes usually went away after people stopped using the drug.

If you develop eyelash changes that are bothersome while you’re using Travatan Z, talk with your doctor. They may recommend a different medication to treat your increased eye pressure.

Travatan Z may cause macular edema (fluid buildup in the eye). Symptoms of this condition can include:

It isn't known how many people in clinical trials of Travatan Z may have had fluid buildup in their eye.

If you develop symptoms of macular edema, talk with your doctor. They’ll likely check your eyes for fluid buildup. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a medication other than Travatan Z.

As with all medications, the cost of Travatan Z can vary. The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Keep in mind that you may be able to get a 90-day supply of Travatan Z. If approved by your insurance company, getting a 90-day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor or your insurance company.

Before approving coverage for Travatan Z, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.

If you’re not sure if you’ll need to get prior authorization for Travatan Z, contact your insurance company.

If you need financial support to pay for Travatan Z, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help may be available.

To view programs that may help lower the cost of Travatan Z, visit the Medicine Assistance Tool's website.

Travatan Z may be available through a mail-order pharmacy. Using this service may help lower the drug's cost and allow you to get your medication without leaving home.

If recommended by your doctor, you may be able to receive a 90-day supply of Travatan Z, so there's less concern about running out of the medication. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor and your insurance company. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order medications.

If you don't have insurance, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist about online pharmacy options.

Travatan Z is available in a generic form called travoprost. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

If your doctor has prescribed Travatan Z and you’re interested in using travoprost instead, talk with your doctor. They may have a preference for one version or the other. You’ll also need to check your insurance plan, as it may only cover one or the other.

Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others. If you’re interested in finding an alternative to Travatan Z, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat increased eye pressure due to ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma include:

You may wonder how Travatan Z compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Travatan Z and latanoprost are alike and different.

Travatan Z is a brand-name drug that contains the active drug travoprost.

Latanoprost is the generic version of the brand-name drug Xalatan. Latanoprost is a generic drug. (A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.) Latanoprost is the active drug.

Both Travatan Z and latanoprost belong to a group of medications called prostaglandin analogs. These drugs both work to help reduce eye pressure by increasing the amount of fluid that drains from your eye.

Both Travatan Z and latanoprost are approved to treat increased eye pressure in people with either:

Travatan Z and latanoprost are both eye drops that come in dropper bottles. And both drugs are used once a day, typically in the evening.

Travatan Z comes in a strength of 0.004%. And latanoprost comes in a strength of 0.005%.

Travatan Z and latanoprost belong to the same class of medications called prostaglandin analogs. (A class of medications is a group of drugs that work in a similar way.) Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects.

These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with either Travatan Z or latanoprost, as well as mild side effects that both drugs may share.

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with either Travatan Z or latanoprost, as well as serious side effects that both drugs may share.

The only condition both Travatan Z and latanoprost are approved to treat is increased eye pressure due to either:

The use of travoprost (Travatan Z's active drug) and latanoprost in treating increased eye pressure has been directly compared in a 2001 clinical study. In this study, people used either travoprost or latanoprost for 12 months. Over this time period, people's average eye pressure was:

* Pressure in the eye is often reported in units of mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). Normal pressure in the eye is about 12 mm Hg to 22 mm Hg in adults.

Travatan Z costs significantly more than latanoprost. The actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Travatan Z is a brand-name drug, whereas latanoprost is a generic drug. Latanoprost is also available as the brand-name drug Xalatan. There are currently no generic forms of Travatan Z. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

The Travatan Z dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Travatan Z comes as a liquid solution in a multiuse dropper bottle. You’ll use the bottle's tip to dispense drops in your eye.

Travatan Z comes in a 2.5-milliliter (mL) bottle and a 5-mL bottle. The drug comes in a strength of 0.004%.

Travatan Z is approved to treat increased intraocular pressure (pressure in the eye) that's caused by certain conditions.* The recommended dosage is one drop of Travatan Z 0.004% into the affected eye (or eyes), once a day, typically in the evening.

Do not use Travatan Z more than once a day. Using this medication more often than once a day may make it less effective.

It's important to avoid touching the tip of the Travatan Z bottle to your eye or any other surfaces. Touching the bottle to surfaces can increase your risk for eye infection.

Note: If your doctor has approved using a different eye drop with Travatan Z, wait at least 5 minutes between placing each type of drop in your eye. See the "How to use Travatan Z" section below for details.

* Travatan Z is approved to treat increased eye pressure that's caused by ocular hypertension (high pressure in the eye) or open-angle glaucoma. For more information, see the "Travatan Z uses" section below.

Travatan Z is approved for use in children ages 16 years and older, as well as adults. The recommended dosage for children is the same as it is for adults: one drop of Travatan Z 0.004% into the affected eye (or eyes), once a day in the evening. For details, see "Dosage for increased intraocular pressure" right above.

If you miss a dose of Travatan Z, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Based on when your next dose is, your doctor or pharmacist may recommend either:

Keep in mind that you should not use Travatan Z more than once a day, unless directed by your doctor.

To help make sure that you don't miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm on your phone or downloading a reminder app. A kitchen timer can work, too.

Travatan Z is meant to be used as a long-term treatment for increased eye pressure. If you and your doctor determine that Travatan Z is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

When you get Travatan Z from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle. This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication.

The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication.

Travatan Z eye drops should be stored at a room temperature of 36°F to 77°F (2°C to 25°C). It doesn't necessarily need to be refrigerated. After opening the bottle, you can use this medication until the expiration date that's on the bottle.

If you no longer need to take Travatan Z and have leftover medication, it's important to dispose of the drug safely. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment.

This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information about how to dispose of your medication.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Travatan Z to treat certain conditions. Travatan Z may also be used off-label for other conditions. Off-label drug use means using a drug for a purpose other than what it's been approved for by the FDA.

Travatan Z is FDA-approved to treat increased eye pressure that's caused by ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma. Eye pressure may also be called intraocular pressure (IOP).

Ocular hypertension is a condition that causes increased pressure in the eye. And open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that's usually caused by high pressure in the eye. With open-angle glaucoma, your eye doesn't properly drain fluid. This causes fluid to build up in the eye, which can cause eye pressure to increase over time.

It's important to treat increased eye pressure as your doctor recommends. This is because if untreated, increased eye pressure can lead to complications. These can include eye pain or even vision loss. But by helping lowering pressure in your eye, Travatan Z can also help lower your risk for complications.

In clinical studies,* travoprost (the active drug in Travatan Z) was effective in decreasing eye pressure in adults.

In these studies, people had eye pressures of 25 mm Hg* to 27 mm Hg. After using Travatan Z once daily in the evening, eye pressure was decreased by 7 mm Hg to 8 mm Hg.

* People in these studies took either Travatan Z or Travatan. Travatan is a different formulation of Travatan Z that's no longer available. Both medications contain the same active drug, which is travoprost. But Travatan is no longer available for use. For details, see the "What is Travatan Z?" section above. † Pressure in the eye is often reported in units of mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). Normal pressure in the eye is about 12 mm Hg to 22 mm Hg in adults.

Travatan Z is approved to treat increased eye pressure in children ages 16 years and older, as well as adults.

Travatan Z shouldn't be used in children younger than 16 years old. This is because the drug can cause changes in eye pigmentation (changes that may affect eye color, eyelids, or eyelashes). And the potential long-term effects of changes in eye pigmentation on eye health aren't known. (See the "Travatan Z side effects" section for details.)

It also isn't known what other side effects may occur after long-term use of Travatan Z in children. If you have questions about Travatan Z use in children, talk with your or your child's doctor.

Travatan Z is approved to treat increased eye pressure that's caused by certain conditions.* Travatan Z may be used by itself for this purpose. Or your doctor may recommend additional medications to help treat your conditions. In that case, Travatan Z may be used with other medications, including other eye drops.

For example, in some cases your doctor may recommend that you use timolol maleate (Timoptic) eye drops with Travatan Z.

Make sure to check with your doctor before using any other eye drops while you’re using Travatan Z. And if you use other eye drops with Travatan Z, make sure to wait at least 5 minutes in between placing each type of eye drop in your eye. This is important because using different eye drops too close together may make them less effective at treating your condition.

If you have questions about using other medications while you’re using Travatan Z, talk with your doctor.

* Travatan Z is approved to treat increased eye pressure that's caused by ocular hypertension (high blood pressure in the eye) or open-angle glaucoma. For more information, see the "Travatan Z uses" section above.

There are no known drug interactions between Travatan Z and alcohol. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor to be sure that it's safe for you to drink while using Travatan Z.

Travatan Z is not known to interact with other medications. It's also not known to interact with supplements or foods.

Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe.

However, it's still important to talk with your doctor and pharmacist before taking Travatan Z. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about possible interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You should take Travatan Z according to your doctor's or healthcare provider's instructions.

Travatan Z comes as a liquid solution in a multiuse dropper bottle. You’ll use the bottle's tip to dispense drops in your eye.

It's important to avoid touching the tip of the Travatan Z bottle to your eye or any other surfaces. Touching the bottle to surfaces can lead to an eye infection. And eye infection can lead to serious side effects in some cases, such as damage to your eye or vision loss.

If you wear contact lenses, be sure to take them out before placing Travatan Z drops in your eye. You can put your contact lenses back in 15 minutes after using the eye drops.

If you use other eye drops with Travatan Z, make sure to wait at least 5 minutes between placing each type of drop in your eye. This is important because using different eye drops too close together may cause one drop to wash the other drop out of your eye. And this can make the eye drops less effective.

Travatan Z eye drops should be used once a day, usually in the evening.

Don't use Travatan Z more often than your doctor recommends. Using Travatan Z more than once a day could make the drug less effective.

To help make sure that you don't miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm on your phone or downloading a reminder app. A kitchen timer can work, too.

Travatan Z is a brand-name prescription drug. It's FDA-approved to treat increased pressure in the eye that's related to ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.

The pressure inside your eyes is determined by how much fluid your eye makes and how much of the fluid drains out. Eye pressure is also called intraocular pressure (IOP).

Ocular hypertension is a condition that causes increased pressure in the eye. And open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that's usually caused by high pressure in the eye. With open-angle glaucoma, your eye doesn't properly drain fluid. This causes fluid to build up in the eye, which can cause eye pressure to increase over time.

It's not known exactly how Travatan Z works to treat increased eye pressure. But Travatan Z belongs to a group of medications called prostaglandin analogs, which may work by increasing the amount of fluid that drains from the eye. This increased drainage can help reduce the pressure in your eye.

Travatan Z begins to help decrease your eye pressure about 2 hours after you put a drop in your eye. And the drug reaches its maximum effect 12 hours after a dose. This means that 12 hours after you take Travatan Z, the medication may be working most effectively to help decrease your eye pressure.

Although you may not feel Travatan Z working to decrease your eye pressure, keep using the eye drops according to your doctor's instructions. And if you have questions about what to expect with Travatan Z treatment, talk with your doctor.

It's not known if Travatan Z is safe to use during pregnancy. This is because no clinical studies of Travatan Z have looked at the drug's use during pregnancy.

However, in animal studies, travoprost (the active drug in Travatan Z) was given to pregnant animals. In these studies, travoprost caused loss of pregnancy, fetal death, or premature delivery.

However, animals in these studies were given travoprost by injection. But keep in mind that Travatan Z is used as an eye drop. So these studies may not reflect what might happen if travoprost or Travatan Z were used as an eye drop in pregnant humans. And in general, results of animal studies may not reflect results seen in human studies.

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before starting Travatan Z.

It's not known if Travatan Z is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while you’re using Travatan Z.

For more information about taking Travatan Z during pregnancy, see the "Travatan Z and pregnancy" section above.

It's not known if Travatan Z is safe to use while breastfeeding. There haven't been any clinical studies on Travatan Z use during breastfeeding.

But travoprost (the active drug in Travatan Z) has been studied in lactating animals. And these studies showed that travoprost given to lactating females did pass into breast milk. But it's not known if the drug may have had any effects on breastfed offspring.

However, animals in these studies were given travoprost by injection. So these studies may not reflect what might happen if travoprost or Travatan Z are used as an eye drop in breastfeeding humans. And in general, results of animal studies may not reflect results seen in human studies.

If you’re breastfeeding, talk with your doctor before using Travatan Z.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Travatan Z.

Yes, you can wear contacts during your Travatan Z treatment. However, you should remove your contact lenses before putting Travatan Z drops into your eyes. And leave them out for at least 15 minutes after placing Travatan Z drops in your eye. This is because the preservative in Travatan Z, SofZia, may be absorbed into contact lenses.

After 15 minutes have passed since you used Travatan Z drops, you can put your contact lenses back in.

If you have questions about using contact lenses with Travatan Z, talk with your doctor.

No. Travatan Z will not cure increased eye pressure related to ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma. Currently, there are no cures for these conditions.

However, Travatan Z works to help decrease your eye pressure. And having decreased eye pressure can help lower your risk for side effects that can happen due to pressure buildup over time, such as vision loss. Travatan Z can also help prevent your ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma from getting worse or causing serious side effects.

Yes, you can use Travatan Z with other eye drops as long as your doctor approves.

If you use other eye drops with Travatan Z, make sure to wait at least 5 minutes in between placing each eye drop in your eye. This is important because using different eye drops too close together may cause one drop to wash the other drop out of your eye. This can make the eye drops less effective.

Be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any other eye drops you use before using Travatan Z. They can make sure that you can safely use the eye drops together.

It depends. In some cases, Travatan Z may cause side effects such as eye pain or irritation. The drug may also cause blurred vision. These side effects can make it harder to see while you’re driving. So before you drive while taking Travatan Z, you should see how the drug affects you.

And if you have eye side effects while taking Travatan Z, you shouldn't drive until you’re able to see clearly. Some people may not have side effects after using Travatan Z. In this case, it's likely safe for you to drive, as long as your doctor approves.

If you have questions about driving while taking Travatan Z, talk with your doctor. They can recommend when it's safe for you to drive. Also make sure to talk with your doctor about any side effects you have while using Travatan Z.

Before taking Travatan Z, talk with your doctor about your health history. Travatan Z may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:

Note: For more information about the potential negative effects of Travatan Z, see the "Travatan Z side effects" section above.

Do not use more Travatan Z than your doctor recommends. For some drugs, doing so may lead to unwanted side effects or overdose.

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.