Ophthalmological use of roflumilast for the treatment of diseases of the eye

1 . Use of a compound selected from the group consisting of roflumilast, salts of roflumilast, the N-oxide of the pyridine residue of roflumilast or salts thereof for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical preparation for the prevention or treatment of a disease of the eye.

2 . Use according to claim 1 wherein roflumilast is a compound of the formula I

in which

R1 is difluoromethoxy,

R2 is cyclopropylmethoxy and

R3 is 3,5-dichloropyrid-4-yl.

3 . Use according to claim 1 , wherein the disease of the eye is selected from the group of blepharitis, not-infective dermatosis of palpebrae in general, dermatosis of palpebrae in general (allergic, eczematous, contact), erythematodes chronicus discoides, chalazion, chronical inflammations of palpebrae, epiphora, chronical dakryocystitis, canaliculitis, conjunctivitis (allergic, acute), keratoconjunctivitis, chronic conjunctivitis, blepharoconjuncivitis, conjunctival hyperaemia, conjunctival oedema, pseudopterygium, ocular or conjunctival pemphigus, episkleritis, skleritis, inflammation of sclera and episclera, staphyloma, keratitis (areolar, chronic filaminatary, mummular, descemetitis, stellar, striate), photokeratitis, solar- and photoophtalmia, keratoconjunctivitis (neuroparalytical, phlyctenar, by exposition), superficial keratits with conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome (keratitis sicca), ophtalmia, moorens ulcer, cicatrix, corneal opacitiy, interstitial and profound keratitis, corneal neovascularisation (degeneration and erosion), iridocyclitis due to sarcoidosis or Bechterew's disease, acute and chronical iridocyclitis, iritis, anterior uveitis, iris atrophy, precipitation on the cornea, inflammatory states after intraocular lens implantation, retinal oedema, (postsurgical) macula oedema, granulomatous uveitis, prevention of postsurgical, inflammatory complications, glaucoma, cataract due to chronical iridocyclitis, pigmentous retinitis or Usher's syndrom, diabetic retinopathia, macular degeneration, optic retrobulbar neuritis, neuromyelitis, vitreoretinopathy, inflammatory states after intraocular lens implantation and retinal oedema

4 . Use according to claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical preparation is an ophthalmological pharmaceutical preparation.

5 . Use according to claim 4 , wherein the pharmaceutical preparation is selected from the group of eyebaths, eye lotions, eye inserts, eye ointments, eye sprays, eye drops, preparations for intraocular application and eyelid ointments.

6 . Use according to claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical preparation is suitable for systemic application.

7 . Method for treating mammals, including humans, suffering from a disease of the eye regarded as treatable or preventable through use of PDE 4 inhibitors, characterized in that a therapeutically effective and pharmacologically suitable amount of an active pharmaceutical ingredient selected from the group of compounds roflumilast, salts of roflumilast, the N-oxide of roflumilast and salts thereof is administered to the mammal with the disorder.

8 . Method according to claim 8 , where the disease is selected from the group of blepharitis, not-infective dermatosis of palpebrae in general, dermatosis of palpebrae in general (allergic, eczematous, contact), erythematodes chronicus discoides, chalazion, chronical inflammations of palpebrae, epiphora, chronical dakryocystitis, canaliculitis, conjunctivitis (allergic, acute), keratoconjunctivitis, chronic conjunctivitis, blepharoconjuncivitis, conjunctival hyperaemia, conjunctival oedema, pseudopterygium, ocular or conjunctival pemphigus, episkleritis, skleritis, inflammation of sclera and episclera, staphyloma, keratitis (areolar, chronic filaminatary, mummular, descemetitis, stellar, striate), photokeratitis, solar- and photoophtalmia, keratoconjunctivitis (neuroparalytical, phlyctenar, by exposition), superficial keratits with conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome (keratitis sicca), ophtalmia, moorens ulcer, cicatrix, corneal opacitiy, interstitial and profound keratitis, corneal neovascularisation (degeneration and erosion), iridocyclitis due to sarcoidosis or Bechterew's disease, acute and chronical iridocyclitis, iritis, anterior uveitis, iris atrophy, precipitation on the cornea, inflammatory states after intraocular lens implantation, retinal oedema, (postsurgical) macula oedema, granulomatous uveitis, prevention of postsurgical, Inflammatory complications, glaucoma, cataract due to chronical iridocyclitis, pigmentous retinitis or Usher's syndrom, diabetic retinopathia, macular degeneration, optic retrobulbar neuritis, neuromyelitis, vitreoretinopathy, inflammatory states after intraocular lens implantation and retinal oedema

9 . Ophthalmological pharmaceutical preparation comprising a therapeutically effective and pharmacologically suitable amount of an active pharmaceutical ingredient selected from the group of compounds roflumilast, salts of roflumilast, the N-oxide of roflumilast and salts together with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or excipients.

10 . Ophthalmological pharmaceutical preparation selected from the group of eyebaths, eye lotions, eye inserts, eye ointments, eye sprays, eye drops, preparations for intraocular application and eyelid ointments.

11 . Pharmaceutical preparation according to claim 10 , characterized in that it comprises a suspension of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the carriers and/or the excipients.

12 . Pharmaceutical preparation according to claim 11 , which is in the form of eye drops and wherein the particle size of 90% of the active pharmaceutical ingredient is less than 10 μm.