ABSTRACT
The test methods designed and used to evaluate the potential to cause irritation or damage to the eye by a splash or other accidental occurence hold a unique and ambivalent place in our society. On one hand, the eyes represent a uniquely valuable and vulnerable asset to people; the sense of vision is critical for functioning in our world, and the responsible organs are delicate and relatively unprotected. At the same time, the traditional tests — and their misuse and misunderstanding of their use — have served as the rallying point for those concerned about the humane and proper use of animals. This has caused the field of testing for potential to cause irritation or damage to the eyes to become both the most active area for the development of alternatives and innovations and the most sensitive area of animal testing and use in research.
