The animals are often immobilised in stocks from which only their heads protrude. They usually receive no anaesthesia during the tests. After placing the substance in the rabbits' eyes, technicians record the damage to the eye tissue at specific intervals over an average period of 72 hours, with tests sometimes lasting 7-18 days. Reactions to the substances include swollen eyelids, inflamed irises, ulceration, bleeding, massive deterioration, and blindness. During the tests, the rabbits' eyelids are held open with clips.
Animals maybreak their necks or otherwise be injured as they struggle to escape.
Technicians performing eye irritancy tests do not attempt to treat the rabbits or seek antidotes to the test substance, so the test cannot help lead to treatments for potential human injuries. In the Draize skin test, the substance is applied to the shaved skin of the animal and the reaction noted. Reactions can included sever irritation and burning. In these tests, a substance is forced by tube into the animals' stomachs or through holes cut into their throats. Experimenters observe the animals' reactions, which can include convulsions, laboured breathing, diarrhoea, constipation, emaciation, skin eruptions, abnormal posture, and bleeding from the eyes, nose, or mouth.