THE USE OF THE CULTURED BOVINE LENS TO MEASURE THE IN-VITRO OCULAR IRRITANCY OF KETONES AND ACETATES

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 scann ing laser, a video camera and a video frame digitiser. This test was u sed to provide a rank order for the toxicity of four acetates (celloso lve acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate and n-butyl acetate) and fo ur ketones (methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetone and m ethyl 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 provide s a much wider range of end values than does the in vivo test, especia lly at low concentrations.