Glaucoma Eye Drop Shortage in Canada: Latanoprost, Timolol Combinations, and More
Quick answer
Glaucoma eye drops — latanoprost, dorzolamide/timolol combinations (like Cosopt), brimonidine/timolol, and similar products — show up in Canadian shortage reports fairly often, usually for one manufacturer's version rather than the whole drug class. Because missed doses can let eye pressure rise, don't just stop using your drops while you wait — check your exact brand and DIN, and contact your pharmacist or eye doctor as soon as you notice a supply problem.
Check the exact brand, not just "glaucoma drops"
Glaucoma is treated with several different drop classes — prostaglandin analogues like latanoprost, beta-blockers like timolol, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors like dorzolamide, and alpha agonists like brimonidine — often combined into a single bottle. A shortage report for one manufacturer's latanoprost or a specific combination product, such as dorzolamide/timolol, doesn't mean every glaucoma drop is affected. Search your exact brand and DIN before assuming you're out of options.
Don't stop your drops while you wait for a decision
Glaucoma drops work by keeping pressure inside the eye controlled, and that pressure can start climbing again within days of missed doses — unlike some medications, there's no safe "pause" while you sort out a supply problem. If your pharmacy is out, ask about a partial fill, a different manufacturer's version, or a short bridge supply rather than going without.
Combination drops can be harder to substitute than single-ingredient ones
A shortage of a two-in-one product, like a dorzolamide/timolol or latanoprost/timolol combination, isn't always solved by switching to the same combination from another manufacturer if that version is also short — sometimes the practical substitute is two separate bottles used together instead. That's a bigger change to your routine than a simple generic swap, so it's worth confirming with your pharmacist or eye doctor rather than assuming any combination product is equivalent. See when a pharmacist can substitute during a shortage.
Loop in your eye doctor, not just your pharmacist
Because untreated pressure can affect your vision over time, a glaucoma medication switch is often worth flagging to your ophthalmologist or optometrist, not only your pharmacist — especially if the shortage drags on and you end up on a different drop class than the one they prescribed.
Where to check
Search your exact glaucoma drop brand and DIN on MedShort for the current status pulled directly from Health Canada's Drug Shortages Canada reporting system — the same source your pharmacy checks.
Related Guides
Can a Pharmacist Substitute a Medication During a Shortage?
When pharmacists in Canada can substitute a different brand or strength during a shortage, and when your prescriber needs to be involved.
Can I Use a Different Strength During a Medication Shortage in Canada?
Combining two lower-strength tablets, or splitting a higher one, isn't automatically safe — here's when a pharmacist can approve it on the spot and which drugs (like extended-release or narrow-therapeutic-index medications) it's not safe for at all.
Pharmacy Can't Fill Your Prescription in Canada? Do This Next
Your medication is out of stock and your pharmacy has no alternative in stock — here's the exact step-by-step plan to follow, including 3 questions to ask your pharmacist before you leave the counter.
Latest Canadian Shortage Updates
Sources
Guide text last reviewed August 20, 2026; the shortage status shown above is pulled from Health Canada's data and refreshed hourly. MedShort.ca is an independent tracking tool and does not provide medical advice.