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FDA Sees No Radiation Risk in VDT Screens

No Effects Found

Eliot Marshall · 1981

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The FDA's 1981 VDT screen safety assessment reflects early EMF regulation focused on thermal effects, not today's biological concerns.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

In 1981, the FDA investigated radiation risks from video display terminals (VDT screens), examining concerns about microwave and x-ray emissions that might cause eye strain or cataracts. The agency concluded there was no radiation risk from these early computer screens. This study represents an early regulatory assessment of electromagnetic field exposure from workplace technology.

Cite This Study
Eliot Marshall (1981). FDA Sees No Radiation Risk in VDT Screens.
Show BibTeX
@article{fda_sees_no_radiation_risk_in_vdt_screens_g6194,
  author = {Eliot Marshall},
  title = {FDA Sees No Radiation Risk in VDT Screens},
  year = {1981},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Workers worried about microwave and x-ray emissions from video display terminals causing eye strain, cataracts, and other health effects from prolonged workplace exposure to these early computer screens.
No, the FDA concluded there was no radiation risk from video display terminals, determining that emission levels were too low to cause health effects based on 1981 safety standards.
VDT screens emitted primarily x-rays and some microwave radiation, while modern devices emit more complex radiofrequency signals at higher power levels with different exposure patterns and biological interactions.
Researchers examined eye strain, cataracts, and other vision problems among office workers using video display terminals for extended periods during the early computer workplace revolution.
It shows how regulatory agencies approached early workplace EMF concerns, using thermal-based safety standards that remain largely unchanged despite decades of biological research on non-thermal effects.