Patent ID: 7223737

Claim:
A method for the treatment of dry eye in a mammal suffering from dry eye, which comprises topically administering to the eye of the mammal a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of formula I: R 1 —Z—(R 2 ) x (I) wherein R 1 is C 8 -C 28 aliphatic hydrocarbon, optionally unsaturated and optionally substituted with amino, hydroxyl, thiol, benzyl, phenyl, CO 2 R, or a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl where the cycloalkyl is optionally unsaturated; R is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl; Z is O, C(O)O, OP(═O) 2 O, S, or C(O)N; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of glucoside, fructoside, galactoside, lactoside, sucroside and maltoside; and x is an integer from 1-10; provided that the composition does not contain an active ingredient for treating an ocular disorder other than dry eye.