Microwave oven, while being one of the most useful inventions of the 20th century, is also a source of harmful microwave oven radiation. Increasing amount of exposure to this radiation is a cause for worry in modern times.
Microwave cooking makes it easy and simple to cook food and is a relief for busy people around the globe. But microwave oven radiation is a potential health hazard, raising fears about serious side effects such as skin cancer, dizziness, cataract, headache, temporary sterility in men and blood disorders.
Studies suggest that children are more prone to possible damage caused by microwaves because their bodies are still developing, and have cells that are rapidly dividing. So, interference from outside sources could cause long term damage and cellular mutation.
Experiments and studies conducted to find out safe exposure levels have not satisfactorily answered questions. Most of the studies related to effects of exposure to high levels of radiation in a short time span while ignoring the effects of low-level radiations over longer time span.
By not knowing the unsafe limits backed by solid research, all we can do is only try and limit our exposure to microwave radiation. The microwaves given out by the microwave ovens are confined within the oven by the material used in their construction. Moreover, radiation which is produced by the microwave is of the non-ionizing kind, which does not have cancer associated risk linked to ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is produced by UV lights, X-rays and high-energy particles.
The US Federal standards restrict the microwave amounts leaking from ovens through their lifetime to 5 mili watts radiation/sq. cm - somewhere around 2 inches from the oven’s surface. This is much below the level of exposure currently believed to be harmful to human health.
The dielectric heating induced in the body by microwaves is responsible for injuries - if any, from exposure to these radiations. Exposure to high radiation levels can also cause damage to eyes, especially cataract. The heat generated denatures the proteins present in the eye lens before the lens gets a chance to get cooled by surrounding structures. The cornea and lens do not have any blood vessels that can carry away the heat.
Exposure to heavy doses of microwave radiation can possibly damage several other tissues including critical burns which may not be immediately noticeable because the waves have a tendency to heat deeper tissues which have high moisture content.
Researches conducted by microwave servicemen reveal that more than 10% of microwaves that are more than 2 years old leak higher radiation levels than those recommended by FDA. It is best to have microwave ovens serviced every 2 years to ensure that the microwave oven radiation levels are within the suggested safe levels.