<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-10-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001337553</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AERIE PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AERI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001594912</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foresite Capital Management II, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 MONTGOMERY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 4500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001594914</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foresite Capital Fund II, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 MONTGOMERY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 4500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001645157</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foresite Capital Management III, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 MONTGOMERY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 4500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001645158</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foresite Capital Fund III, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 MONTGOMEREY STREEET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 4500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001581754</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Tananbaum James B.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3052 PACIFIC AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94115</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-10-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>24813</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.3399</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1647901</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-10-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25187</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.3399</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1672697</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares are owned directly by Foresite Capital Fund II, L.P. (&quot;FCF II&quot;).  Foresite Capital Management II, LLC (&quot;FCM II&quot;), the general partner of FCF II, may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over these shares.  James B. Tananbaum (&quot;Mr. Tananbaum&quot;), in his capacity as managing member of FCM II, may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over these shares.  Each Reporting Person disclaims the existence of a &quot;group.&quot;  Each of FCM II and its members and Mr. Tananbaum disclaims beneficial ownership of any of these shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein, and the filing of this report is not an admission that FCM II and its members or Mr. Tananbaum is the beneficial owner of these shares for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares are owned directly by Foresite Capital Fund III, L.P. (&quot;FCF III&quot;).  Foresite Capital Management III, LLC (&quot;FCM III&quot;), the general partner of FCF III, may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over these shares.  James B. Tananbaum (&quot;Mr. Tananbaum&quot;), in his capacity as managing member of FCM III, may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over these shares.  Each Reporting Person disclaims the existence of a &quot;group.&quot;  Each of FCM III and its members and Mr. Tananbaum disclaims beneficial ownership of any of these shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein, and the filing of this report is not an admission that FCM III and its members or Mr. Tananbaum is the beneficial owner of these shares for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FORESITE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT II, LLC, By: /s/ Dennis D. Ryan, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FORESITE CAPITAL FUND II, L.P., By: Foresite Capital Management II, LLC, Its: General Partner, By: /s/ Dennis D. Ryan, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FORESITE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT III, LLC, By: /s/ Dennis D. Ryan, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FORESITE CAPITAL FUND III, L.P., By: Foresite Capital Management III, LLC, Its: General Partner, By: /s/ Dennis D. Ryan, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ James B. Tananbaum</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
