What is ImprimisRx Used For? Understanding Ophthalmic Compounded Medications

October 7, 2025 •

4 min read

As one of the largest ophthalmic compounding pharmacies, ImprimisRx focuses on creating customized medication solutions for eye care professionals and patients. This specialty is what ImprimisRx used for, addressing unique patient needs that cannot be met by standard, commercially available drug products. ImprimisRx’s offerings range from proprietary injectables to preservative-free combination eye drops, primarily for treating conditions and supporting procedures within the field of ophthalmology.

Quick Summary

ImprimisRx creates customized, compounded ophthalmic medications, including Dropless injections for post-surgical care, Simple Drops for glaucoma, and Klarity Drops for dry eye. It also provides other specialized formulations for various eye conditions. These products are made in FDA-inspected facilities using FDA-approved components but are not FDA-approved in their final compounded form. They are prescribed when a patient's clinical need cannot be met by a commercially available drug.

Key Points

Ophthalmic Focus: ImprimisRx is primarily used for providing customized, compounded medications for the field of ophthalmology.
Post-Surgical Injections: Its Dropless therapy offers intraocular injectable formulations of antibiotics and steroids to reduce or eliminate the need for post-operative eye drops, thereby improving patient compliance.
Glaucoma Management: Simple Drops combine multiple glaucoma medications into a single, preservative-free drop bottle, simplifying the treatment regimen and potentially increasing adherence.
Dry Eye Relief: Klarity Drops provide preservative-free, customizable formulations containing ingredients like cyclosporine for patients with dry eye disease who have specific needs or sensitivities.
Customized Formulations: Compounded ImprimisRx products are tailored to individual patient needs, including adjusting dosages, removing preservatives, or creating specific drug combinations.
Regulatory Status: Compounded medications from ImprimisRx are not FDA-approved in their final form but are made in FDA-inspected facilities using FDA-approved components.

ImprimisRx and the Role of Compounding

Compounding is the process by which a pharmacist customizes a medication to meet an individual patient’s specific needs. This practice becomes vital when standard, commercially available medications are unsuitable due to dosage requirements, ingredient intolerances, or lack of commercial availability. ImprimisRx, now a part of Harrow Health, Inc., is a leading player in this space, especially within ophthalmology. The company operates both a patient-specific pharmacy (503A) and an FDA-registered outsourcing facility (503B) to produce these specialized ophthalmic formulations.

Why Compounded Medications are Necessary

Compounding serves several critical functions in modern medicine, particularly in eye care:

Customization: Adjusting the concentration of an active ingredient to suit a patient's specific condition.
Eliminating Intolerable Ingredients: Creating preservative-free formulas for patients with sensitivities to preservatives found in many commercial eye drops.
Combination Therapies: Combining multiple active ingredients into a single, convenient formulation to improve patient compliance.
Addressing Drug Shortages: Providing access to medications that are commercially unavailable or in short supply.

Primary Uses of ImprimisRx Formulations

ImprimisRx's extensive product portfolio is specifically designed to address a variety of ophthalmic conditions and surgical needs.

Dropless Therapy for Post-Surgical Care

Following cataract or other ocular surgeries, patients typically need to use a regimen of multiple eye drops for an extended period. ImprimisRx offers "Dropless" therapy, a line of single-dose, intraocular injectable formulations containing a combination of antibiotics and steroids (e.g., Tri-Moxi+, Dex-Moxi).

The Problem: Patient non-compliance, difficulty with proper drop instillation (especially for elderly patients), and complex dosing schedules can hinder recovery.
The ImprimisRx Solution: The physician administers the Dropless injection during surgery, which can eliminate or significantly reduce the need for patients to self-administer eye drops at home. This improves compliance and simplifies post-operative care.

Simple Drops for Glaucoma Management

Glaucoma patients often require multiple daily eye drops to manage their intraocular pressure. ImprimisRx addresses this challenge with its Simple Drops formulations.

The Solution: Simple Drops combine multiple glaucoma medications (e.g., Timolol, Latanoprost, Dorzolamide) into a single, preservative-free drop bottle.
The Benefit: This simplified regimen is designed to improve patient adherence, which is crucial for effective glaucoma management. The preservative-free nature also reduces the risk of eye irritation.

Treating Dry Eye Disease with Klarity Drops

Dry Eye Disease can be a chronic and uncomfortable condition, sometimes requiring customized treatment. ImprimisRx's Klarity Drops are a line of compounded, preservative-free ophthalmic solutions formulated to address dry eye symptoms.

Customizable: Formulations can include cyclosporine or other lubricating and therapeutic ingredients.
Benefit: Offering preservative-free, customizable options allows physicians to tailor treatment to patients who cannot tolerate commercially available products or require different concentrations.

Compounded Antibiotics for Eye Infections

For serious eye infections, such as corneal ulcers, standard antibiotics may not be strong enough. Compounding pharmacies can create fortified or combination antibiotic drops to address these severe infections. ImprimisRx provides products like Fortisite (tobramycin and vancomycin) as an option for treating serious eye infections. These specialized formulations ensure patients receive the high-concentration antibiotics they need.

Compounded Medications: FDA Regulation and Safety

It is important to understand the regulatory status of compounded medications, as it differs from mass-produced drugs.

A Comparison of Compounded vs. FDA-Approved Medications


Feature	Compounded Medications (e.g., ImprimisRx)	FDA-Approved (Commercially Available)
Regulatory Approval	Not reviewed or approved by the FDA in their final compounded form.	Rigorously tested and approved by the FDA for safety and efficacy.
Customization	Can be customized for individual patient needs (dosage, ingredients, format).	Produced in a single, standardized form for mass distribution.
Manufacturing Facility	Produced in FDA-registered and inspected 503A or 503B facilities.	Produced in FDA-approved manufacturing facilities.
Ingredients	Use FDA-approved bulk components and active pharmaceutical ingredients from FDA-registered sources.	Entire finished product is FDA-approved.
Use Case	Prescribed when a commercial product does not meet the patient's specific clinical needs.	First-line treatment, unless a contraindication or specific need arises.

Ensuring Quality and Safety

While compounded medications are not individually approved by the FDA, ImprimisRx operates its compounding facilities under strict regulatory oversight. These facilities are inspected by the FDA, and the active ingredients used are sourced from FDA-registered entities. This process, along with independent testing for potency and sterility, ensures that high quality standards are met for each batch of medication.

Conclusion: The Role of ImprimisRx in Personalized Care

Ultimately, the question of what is ImprimisRx used for is answered by its role in providing personalized, accessible, and high-quality ophthalmic medications. By leveraging the power of pharmaceutical compounding, ImprimisRx offers specialized solutions that are not available through standard commercial channels. From simplifying post-operative regimens with Dropless injections to improving compliance for glaucoma patients with Simple Drops, ImprimisRx plays a crucial role in enabling eye care professionals to better meet the individual and sometimes complex needs of their patients. This patient-centric approach helps ensure that critical and often sight-saving treatments are delivered effectively and affordably. For more details on the company's offerings, the official ImprimisRx website provides further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, ImprimisRx's compounded medications are not individually reviewed and approved by the FDA in their final form, unlike mass-produced drugs. However, they are made using active pharmaceutical ingredients from FDA-registered sources and are produced in FDA-inspected facilities.

Dropless therapy is used after ocular surgeries, like cataract surgery, to reduce or eliminate the need for patients to administer post-operative eye drops. The formulations are administered by the physician as an intraocular injection during the surgical procedure.

Simple Drops combine multiple glaucoma medications into a single, preservative-free eye drop bottle. This simplifies the patient's daily regimen, which can increase adherence and improve the effectiveness of treatment.

Klarity Drops are used for dry eye disease and offer customizable, preservative-free formulations. This is particularly beneficial for patients who have sensitivities to preservatives found in many standard eye drops, helping to reduce irritation and discomfort.

A physician would prescribe a compounded medication from ImprimisRx when a standard, FDA-approved drug cannot meet a patient's specific clinical needs. This could be due to a need for a different strength, a preservative-free formula, or a combination of multiple drugs.

Fortisite is a specific compounded antibiotic formulation from ImprimisRx that combines tobramycin and vancomycin. It is used to treat severe eye infections, and the formulation is stable at refrigerated temperatures for an extended period.

Since ImprimisRx's compounded formulations are specialized, patients can find product information on the company's website or by consulting with their prescribing physician. A valid prescription is required for any of their compounded medications.