Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.
Absence of Ocular Pathology after Repeated Exposure of Unanesthetized Monkeys to 9.3-GHz Microwaves
R.D. McAfee, A. Longacre Jr., R.R. Bishop, S.T. Elder, J.G. May, M.G. Holland, R. Gordon · 1979
Monkeys exposed to intense 9.31 GHz microwaves showed no eye damage, but this doesn't address today's chronic low-level wireless exposure concerns.
Plain English Summary
Researchers trained 12 monkeys to expose their faces and eyes to 9.31 GHz microwave radiation at 150 mW/cm² for 30-40 sessions, then monitored them for one year. No eye damage or cataracts developed from this high-frequency microwave exposure. This study examined whether microwave radiation at frequencies used in some radar and communication systems could cause eye injury.
Why This Matters
This 1979 study provides important data on microwave radiation's effects on eye health, though the exposure levels were dramatically higher than what we encounter daily. At 150 mW/cm², these monkeys experienced power densities roughly 1,500 times greater than typical cell phone exposure near your head. The 9.31 GHz frequency sits between current WiFi (around 5 GHz) and some newer 5G bands (up to 28 GHz). While the study found no cataracts after a year of observation, this research highlights a critical gap in our understanding. The eye is particularly vulnerable to microwave heating effects because it lacks blood circulation to dissipate heat, yet long-term studies on cumulative EMF exposure to eyes remain limited. What this means for you: while this study suggests the eye can withstand significant microwave exposure without immediate damage, it doesn't address the subtler biological effects we're learning about today, nor does it reflect the chronic, lower-level exposures we now face from multiple wireless devices throughout our lives.
Finding
No deleterious effects such as cataracts have been observed.
In their words
“No deleterious effects such as cataracts have been observed.”
Show BibTeX
@article{absence_of_ocular_pathology_after_repeated_exposure_of_unanesthetized_monkeys_to_g5317,
author = {R.D. McAfee and A. Longacre Jr. and R.R. Bishop and S.T. Elder and J.G. May and M.G. Holland and R. Gordon},
title = {Absence of Ocular Pathology after Repeated Exposure of Unanesthetized Monkeys to 9.3-GHz Microwaves},
year = {1979},
}