Your Patient Needs Prolensa — and Their Pharmacy Doesn't Have It

It's a scenario ophthalmology practices know all too well in 2026: you prescribe Prolensa (Bromfenac 0.07%) after cataract surgery, and within hours, your patient is calling back because their pharmacy can't fill it. The patient is anxious, their surgery was yesterday, and they need to start anti-inflammatory drops today.

This guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to help your patients navigate Prolensa availability challenges — and keep your post-operative care on track.

Current Availability: What You Need to Know

Brand-name Prolensa has experienced intermittent supply disruptions related to manufacturing transitions at Bausch + Lomb / Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. The medication is not discontinued, but availability varies significantly by pharmacy and region.

Key points for your practice:

• Retail chain pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens) may not routinely stock Prolensa due to its specialty nature
• Independent and specialty pharmacies often have better access
• Generic Bromfenac 0.07% is generally more available than the brand product
• Hospital-affiliated pharmacies near surgical centers typically maintain stock of post-operative ophthalmic medications

For background on the shortage, see our clinical briefing on the Prolensa shortage.

Why Patients Can't Find It

Understanding the barriers helps you anticipate and solve problems proactively:

Supply-Side Issues

• Manufacturing complexity for sterile ophthalmic products
• Wholesaler allocation limits during supply constraints
• Brand-to-generic market shift reducing brand Prolensa production priority

Pharmacy-Side Issues

• Low routine demand means many pharmacies don't carry it
• Pharmacies may not be aware of the availability of generic Bromfenac 0.07% as a substitute

Insurance-Side Issues

• Prior authorization requirements delay access
• Step therapy mandates (try Ketorolac first) create friction
• Non-preferred tier placement increases out-of-pocket costs, discouraging patients from filling

What Providers Can Do: 5 Actionable Steps

Step 1: Prescribe at the Pre-Op Visit

Don't wait until surgery day to hand patients their post-operative prescription. Send the Prolensa (or generic Bromfenac) prescription to the patient's pharmacy at the pre-operative consultation. This gives patients days or weeks to:

• Confirm their pharmacy has it in stock
• Shop around if it's unavailable
• Complete any prior authorization requirements
• Explore cost-saving options

This single change prevents the majority of post-surgical prescription emergencies.

Step 2: Default to Generic Bromfenac When Appropriate

Generic Bromfenac 0.07% is therapeutically equivalent to brand Prolensa — same active ingredient, same concentration, same once-daily dosing. It's also:

• More widely available at pharmacies
• Significantly less expensive ($80–$200 vs. $250–$450)
• More likely to be covered by insurance without prior authorization

Unless there's a specific clinical reason to require the brand, prescribing generic Bromfenac reduces barriers for your patients.

Step 3: Use Medfinder to Check Availability

Medfinder for Providers lets you check real-time pharmacy stock for Prolensa and Bromfenac in your patient's area. Use it:

• At the pre-op visit: Identify a pharmacy with stock before writing the prescription
• When patients call with problems: Quickly find an alternative pharmacy
• To direct patients proactively: Share the Medfinder link so patients can search on their own

Integrating a quick Medfinder check into your pre-surgical workflow takes seconds and can prevent hours of patient frustration.

Step 4: Maintain a Contingency Plan

Every practice should have a documented plan for when Prolensa is unavailable. This plan should include:

• First-line substitute: Generic Bromfenac 0.07% (same molecule, same dosing)
• Second-line substitutes: Ilevro (Nepafenac 0.3%) for once-daily dosing, or generic Ketorolac for lowest cost
• Sample stock: Keep Prolensa or Bromfenac samples on hand to bridge patients through the first few days while they locate a pharmacy supply
• Staff script: Train front desk and surgical coordinators on what to tell patients who call about availability issues

Step 5: Partner with Reliable Pharmacies

Identify one or two pharmacies in your area that consistently stock ophthalmic NSAIDs and build a relationship with them:

• Alert them to your surgical schedule so they can anticipate demand
• Ask them to prioritize stocking Bromfenac/Prolensa
• Direct patients to these pharmacies by default
• Consider hospital-affiliated or surgery center pharmacies as primary dispensing options

Alternatives at a Glance

When neither Prolensa nor generic Bromfenac is available, here are your clinical options:

• Ilevro (Nepafenac 0.3%): Once daily; starts day before surgery; similar price to brand Prolensa
• Nevanac (Nepafenac 0.1%): Three times daily; more widely available
• Ketorolac ophthalmic 0.5% (generic): Four times daily; $15–$50; most affordable; widely available
• Diclofenac ophthalmic 0.1% (generic): Four times daily; $20–$60; widely available

See our detailed comparison of Prolensa alternatives for more clinical detail.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

• Pre-op checklist addition: Add "confirm post-op Rx availability" to your pre-surgical checklist
• Prescription flexibility: Write prescriptions with "DAW" (dispense as written) only when medically necessary; otherwise, allow generic substitution
• Patient handout: Create a one-page handout for cataract surgery patients that includes what medications they'll need, where to look if their pharmacy is out of stock, and the Medfinder website
• Prior auth templates: Keep pre-written prior authorization letters for Prolensa/Bromfenac that staff can quickly customize and submit
• Follow-up protocol: At the first post-op visit, confirm the patient was able to start their NSAID drops on schedule. If not, address it immediately.

Final Thoughts

Prolensa availability challenges are real, but they're manageable with preparation. The most impactful change is simple: prescribe early, default to generic when possible, and check availability before the patient leaves your office.

Tools like Medfinder for Providers make real-time pharmacy checks easy. Combined with a documented contingency plan and pharmacy partnerships, your practice can ensure patients start their post-operative anti-inflammatory therapy on time — regardless of what's happening with brand Prolensa supply.

For more on the clinical aspects of the shortage, read our Prolensa shortage briefing for prescribers.