Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on rat eye

The effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on the eye, particularl y the crystalline lens, have not been thoroughly investigated until now. Fo r this reason, simultaneously with a study on the therapeutic effect of PEM Fs on ovariectomized rats, the possible side effects of PEMFs on the eye we re investigated. Sixteen ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats (10 months old, body weight 400 +/- 25 g) were randomized into four groups of four animals each. Three weeks after surgery, an ovariectomized group was used as sham- therapy (OVX), while the others were given to three different PEMFs (intens ity 7 mT) for 16 weeks. Groups OVX-50 and OVX-100 were subjected to monodir ectional sine-wave PEMFs with different frequencies (50 and 100 Hz), while Group OVX-72 was given a 72-Hz bidirectional square-wave PEMF. The eyes of all animals were examined with the slit lamp to evaluate the condition of c rystalline lens and the fundus oculi at the beginning and end of the study. No cortical and nuclear lens opacities were observed in any of the animals nor were any retinal alterations seen. Histology showed no significant dif ference among the groups. Fibers of the crystalline lens were adherent, and there were no signs of the cytoplasmatic vacuolization typical of cataract . Ultrastructural microscopy confirmed the absence of lesions in all groups and showed normal intercellular junctions and intact epithelial organelles of the crystalline lens. Finally, the range of frequency of PEMFs used doe s not seem to cause damage to the eyes, confirming their safety.