The Rabbit Enucleated Eye Test

The use of isolated rabbit eyes for the assessment of eye irritation potential is a recognized alternative to the Draize eye irritation test, because it closely models the in vivo test system, but does not require the exposure to take place in the eyes of living animals. The procedure permits evaluation of undiluted test materials, i.e. as they could enter the in vivo eye test, and in this respect provides a major advantage over many other in vitro procedures. This test system could be used as part of an in vitro test battery for the assessment of eye irritancy, to provide a higher level of testing after initial screening in simple cell culture-based systems. It will not, however, provide information about potential effects of the test substance on the conjunctivae, nor about the rate of recovery from the insult.