Non-Thermal Electromagnetic Radiation Damage to Lens Epithelium

Abstract

High frequency microwave electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and other modern devices has the potential to damage eye tissues, but its effect on the lens epithelium is unknown at present. The objective of this study was to investigate the non-thermal effects of high frequency microwave electromagnetic radiation (1.1GHz, 2.22 mW) on the eye lens epithelium in situ. Bovine lenses were incubated in organ culture at 35°C for 10-15 days. A novel computer-controlled microwave source was used to investigate the effects of microwave radiation on the lenses. 58 lenses were used in this study. The lenses were divided into four groups: (1) Control lenses incubated in organ culture for 10 to15 days. (2) Electromagnetic radiation exposure group treated with 1.1 GHz, 2.22 mW microwave radiation for 90 cycles of 50 minutes irradiation followed by 10 minutes pause and cultured up to 10 days. (3) Electromagnetic radiation exposure group treated as group 2 with 192 cycles of radiation and cultured for 15 days. (4) Lenses exposed to 39.5ºC for 2 hours 3 times with 24 hours interval after each treatment beginning on the second day of the culture and cultured for 11 days. During the culture period, lens optical quality was followed daily by a computer-operated scanning laser beam. At the end of the culture period, control and treated lenses were analyzed morphologically and by assessment of the lens epithelial ATPase activity. Exposure to 1.1 GHz, 2.22 mW microwaves caused a reversible decrease in lens optical quality accompanied by irreversible morphological and biochemical damage to the lens epithelial cell layer. The effect of the electromagnetic radiation on the lens epithelium was remarkably different from those of conductive heat. The results of this investigation showed that electromagnetic fields from microwave radiation have a negative impact on the eye lens. The lens damage by electromagnetic fields was distinctly different from that caused by conductive heat.

Effect of Ultrahigh Frequency Radiation Emitted from 2G Cell Phone on Developing Lens of Chick Embryo: A Histological Study

“…The appearance of aberrantly formed epithelium on the posterior surface may be due to increased mitotic activity and migration of epithelial cells induced by RF radiation [6,12] (Figure 8). The appearance of smaller lens epithelial cells with condensed pyknotic nuclei and damaged cytoplasm was similar to the findings reported by Bormusov et al [4]. Development is a dynamic process consisting of a highly ordered sequence of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and programmed cell death [2].…”

“…RF radiation causes irreversible morphological and biochemical changes in LEC [4] affecting normal functioning.…”

“…Bormusov et al [4] exposed cultured bovine lens to RF radiation that resulted in structural changes in lens epithelial cell and enzyme activities. Dovrat et al [5] reported impaired optical function of the bovine lens due to damage of lens fibers after RF exposure.…”

“…Studies on animal models have shown that RFR exposure caused deformation of heat labile enzyme glutathione peroxidase that protects lens cell proteins and membrane lipids from oxidative damage [11]. The structural damages are in the form of granular degeneration of the lens cell epithelium at the equator, appearance of large spherical or ovoid "balloon cells, " smaller cells with condensed nuclei, and damaged cytoplasm with pyknosis [4,5,12].…”

Adverse Effect of Mobile Phone on Tp53, Brcai Genes and Dna Fragmentation in Albino Rat Liver

“…It is recently accused to be the cause of several biological alterations as increasing blood-brain barrier permeability [2], gene expression alteration [3], oxidative DNA damage [4], infertility [5,6] fetal loss and developmental malformations [7]. The altered gene expression has to negatively inflict cellular structural and its functional activity with increased tendency to tumor formation [8]. The EMR is recently classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) as indicated by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) [9].…”