An Israeli research team has discovered that microwave radiation of the type emitted by mobile phones causes the eye tissue to “bubble”- a condition which is a precursor to cataracts – and can also interfere with the ability of the eyes to focus.

“Our results show that microwaves can cause irreparable damage. Our advice to people with mobile phones is not to use them if they have the option of using a land line until we can conduct more research,” warns professor Levi Schachter who performed the study along with his research team.

With over 50 million cell phones presently being used in Britain at this time these findings are expected to reignite the controversy surrounding the use of cell phones. A British government minister has previously warned that parents should be “very careful” about how much time children spend talking on their cell phones.

The present study, conducted by the Rapport Faculty of Medicine at the Israel Institute of Technology, in Haifa, found cell phones to be definite risk to eyesight. The researchers exposed lenses taken from male calves to mild heat and microwave radiation levels comparable to the levels expected in the case of prolonged cell phone use. Up until two years of age the eye lenses of calves are similar the lenses of humans.

During the study the lenses were immersed in a culture medium for two weeks after which they were compared with others which had not been similarly exposed, to identify biological changes.

The team discovered that the exposed lenses were less able to focus clearly on a beam of light, which would cause an eye to record a blurred image- but over time when exposure stopped, the damage healed. In addition, the exposure also caused bubbles to form within the tissues of the lens, which did not disappear over time. These cataract-like changes were an indication of permanent eye damage.

Source: Telegraph Article