A simple method to assess surfactant-induced bovine corneal opacity in vitro: preliminary findings.

The in vitro development of bovine corneal opacity induced by two anionic surfactants, sodium decyl sulphate (NaDS) and sodium lauryl sulphate (NaLS), was monitored using a simple, specially constructed instrument, the opacitometer. Results show clearly that NaDS was more potent, and acted more rapidly, than NaLS, an order of potency which has been shown by in vivo ocular irritancy tests with these agents but not in cytotoxicity tests. The measurement of irritant-induced opacity of bovine isolated cornea may therefore offer another approach to the search for viable in vitro alternatives to in vivo ocular irritancy testing.