The paper discusses the relation between local eye irritation testing and whole body irritation response using n-butanol as a model substance. (Note: A short-term eye exposure method using goggles has been developed to assess sensory eye irritation of air pollutants; however, most exposures have to be very high to provoke any sensory response.) A study compared thresholds from local exposure in the eye (1500-12,000 mg/cu m) with irritation responses in a climate chamber with much lower levels (2.5-10 mg/cu m). Results indicate that there is a relation between the local exposure eye irritation and the irritation responses in the climate chamber, but not for odor and perceived air quality. Data are not sufficient to permit establishment of any transfer functions, but this approach is the first step in identifying relations between short-term exposures and more real-life exposures.