Laser Light-Based Opacitometer 'Peira LLBO 180': A new and validated opacitometer for use in the Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability (BCOP) eye irritation test method

The "Peira LLBO 180" is a Laser Light-Based Opacitometer that can be used as an alternative for the standard OPKIT device in the Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability (BCOP) test Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Test Guideline (TG) 437 to identify chemicals inducing serious eye damage as defined by United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN GHS), i.e. chemicals to be classified as UN GHS Category 1 and chemicals not requiring classification for eye irritation or serious eye damage under the UN GHS classification system (No Category). The Peira LLBO 180 offers the advantage of analysing the complete corneal surface and is therefore able to detect more efficiently opaque spots located around the periphery of the excised corneas. This new device will allow not only a more accurate definition of the eye irritating potential of compounds, but also a more precise ranking of moderate to mild and non-irritating compounds. The value of Peira LLBO 180 is confirmed during in-house and multi-laboratory evaluation studies and is now included in the updated OECD TG 437, dated 26th of June 2020. The results demonstrate that the presented methodology is an improved new approach methodology (NAM) for ocular irritation testing of liquids and solids. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.