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In recent years, mobile phone usage duration has increased rapidly and this has raised concerns about the toxic effects of exposure to radio frequency radiation. Many studies have shown that exposure to radiofrequency radiations may be associated with effects on the endocrine, nervous, ocular, cardiovascular and reproduction systems. The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of 4.5 G compatible mobile phones radiation on intraocular pressure. A total of 32 Wistar albino male rats, 16 sham and 16 experimental groups, were used in the experiments. The rats in the experimental group were exposed to a 4.5G compatible mobile phone for 2 hours a day for 45 days. The rats in the Sham group were kept in the same environment for the same period of time with the mobile phone turned off. The specific absorption rate (SAR) value, skin temperature and intraocular pressure of rats were measured as analysis parameters. The maximum SAR value was calculated as 0.006 W/kg per 10 g of tissue. No significant difference was observed between the sham and experimental groups in terms of body temperature. Intraocular pressure decreased significantly in the ex perimental group compared to the control group. As a result of the study, it was thought that the use of 4.5 G compatible smartphones may cause a decrease in intraocular pressure and may pose a significant risk for visual function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid development in mobile phone technologies increase the average mobile phone usage duration. This increase also triggers exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF), which is a risk factor for the health. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of mobile phone working with LTE-Advanced Pro (4.5 G) mobile network on the optic nerve, which is responsible for the transmission of visual information. Thirty-two rats divided into two groups as control (no RF, sham exposure) and experimental (RF exposure using a mobile phone with LTE-Advanced Pro network; 2 hours/day, 6 weeks). The visual evoked potential (VEP) was recorded and determined amplitudes and latencies of VEP waves. Optic nerve malondialdehyde level, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were determined. Furthermore, ultrastructural and morphometric changes of optic nerve were evaluated. In VEP recordings, the mean VEP amplitudes of experimental group were significantly lower than control group. In ultrastructural evaluation, myelinated nerve fibres and glial cells were observed in normal histologic appearance both in sham and experimental group. However, by performing morphometric analysis, in the experimental group, axonal diameter and myelin thickness were shown to be lower and the G-ratio was higher than in the sham group. In the experimental group, malondialdehyde level was significantly higher and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly lower than sham group. There was a high correlation between VEP wave amplitudes and oxidative stress markers. Findings obtained in this study support optic nerve damage. These results point out an important risk that may decrease the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]