Anatomical Differences

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There are several anatomical and physiological differences between the rabbit eye and the human eye. One difference is the presence of a nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, in the rabbit. As this membrane slides horizontally across the eye, it is proposed that it aids removing and/or excluding irritating substances from the corneal surface. Another difference is the larger conjunctival sac in the rabbit, which allows for larger test volumes to be instilled, perhaps more than could be accounted for on accidental exposure. The rabbit cornea is thinner than that found in humans, and rabbits tend to have less tear production. Young rabbits have the ability to regenerate damaged corneal endothelium, while humans do not. It has been proposed