A novel in vitro alternative to in vivo eye toxicity testing measures the optical response (focal variability) of the cultured bovine lens (obtained from abattoirs) in response to exposure to potentially toxic chemicals. This approach involves measuring the optical quality of the lens by using a scanning laser system consisting of a low power scanning laser, a video camera and a video frame digitiser. This test was used to provide a rank order for the toxicity of four acetates (cellosolve acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate and n-butyl acetate) and four ketones (methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetone and methyl amyl ketone) based on the time taken to produce a 100% increase in lens focal variability. The results indicate that the cultured lens is very sensitive to chemical damage. In particular, the test provides a much wider range of end values than does the in vivo test, especially at low concentrations.
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