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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

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Absence of ocular effects after either single or repeated exposure to 10 mW/cm(2) from a 60 GHz CW source.

No Effects Found

Kues HA, D'Anna SA, Osiander R, Green WR, Monahan JC · 1999

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High-level 60 GHz exposure caused no detectable eye damage in animals, but only immediate structural damage was assessed.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rabbits and monkeys to 60 GHz millimeter wave radiation at 10 mW/cm² for either 8 hours straight or 4 hours daily for five days, then examined their eyes for damage using microscopes. They found no detectable eye damage from either exposure pattern. This suggests that millimeter wave radiation at this power level doesn't cause immediate eye injury in laboratory animals.

Why This Matters

This study provides important safety data for millimeter wave technology, which is increasingly used in 5G networks and other wireless applications. The 10 mW/cm² exposure level tested is actually quite high compared to typical environmental exposures from consumer devices, which are usually measured in microwatts per square centimeter. While the absence of acute eye damage is reassuring, this research has significant limitations. The study only examined immediate structural damage visible under microscopes and didn't assess functional changes, long-term effects, or more subtle biological impacts. The reality is that eyes are particularly vulnerable to millimeter wave radiation because these frequencies are absorbed primarily at the surface of tissues. What this means for you is that while this study suggests short-term high-level exposures may not cause obvious eye damage, it doesn't address the potential for cumulative effects from chronic low-level exposures that characterize real-world use of millimeter wave devices.

Exposure Details

Power Density
10 mW/cm²
Source/Device
60 GHz
Exposure Duration
4 h exposures on consecutive days, 8 Hours Single exporsure

Exposure Context

This study used 10 mW/cm² for radio frequency:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 10 mW/cm²Extreme Concern - 1,000 µW/m²FCC Limit - 10M µW/m²Effects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 10 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 60 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 60 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

This study was designed to examine ocular effects associated with exposure to millimeter waves (60 GHz).

Rabbits served as the primary experimental subjects. To confirm the results of the rabbit experiment...

Neither microscopic examinations nor the diagnostic procedures performed on the eyes of acute and re...

On the basis of our results, we conclude that single or repeated exposure to 60 GHz CW radiation at 10 mW/cm(2) does not result in any detectable ocular damage.

Cite This Study
Kues HA, D'Anna SA, Osiander R, Green WR, Monahan JC (1999). Absence of ocular effects after either single or repeated exposure to 10 mW/cm(2) from a 60 GHz CW source. Bioelectromagnetics 20(8):463-473, 1999.
Show BibTeX
@article{ha_1999_absence_of_ocular_effects_3159,
  author = {Kues HA and D'Anna SA and Osiander R and Green WR and Monahan JC},
  title = {Absence of ocular effects after either single or repeated exposure to 10 mW/cm(2) from a 60 GHz CW source.},
  year = {1999},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10559768/},
}
PubMed: 10559768

Cited By (53 papers)

View all 53 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

A 1999 study found no eye damage in rabbits and monkeys exposed to 60 GHz millimeter wave radiation at 10 mW/cm² for up to 8 hours. Microscopic examinations showed no detectable changes to eye tissues from either single or repeated exposures.
Research on 60 GHz millimeter waves found no vision problems in laboratory animals after extensive exposure. The study examined eyes microscopically after both acute and repeated exposures, detecting no ocular damage that could be attributed to the radiation.
Studies on 60 GHz millimeter waves (similar to some 5G frequencies) found no eye damage in animal testing. Researchers exposed rabbits and monkeys to radiation levels and found no detectable changes to eye tissues through detailed microscopic examination.
Research indicates minimal immediate eye damage risk from 60 GHz radiation at tested power levels. A controlled study found no detectable ocular changes in animals after both single 8-hour exposures and repeated daily exposures over five days.
Laboratory studies show 60 GHz millimeter wave exposure at 10 mW/cm² produces no detectable impact on eye tissue. Detailed microscopic examinations of exposed animals revealed no structural changes or damage attributable to the radiation exposure.