Over 50 cases of human cataract induction have been attributed to microwave exposures, primarily encountered in occupational situations involving acute exposure to presumably relatively high-intensity fields. The following are three reported incidents of cataracts caused by microwave radiation:

(a) A 22-year-old technician exposed approximately five times a 3 GHz radiation at an estimated average power density of 300 mW/cm2 for 3 min/exposure developed bilateral cataracts.
(b) A person was exposed to microwaves for durations of approximately 50 hr/month over 4- year period at average power densities of less than 10 mW/cm2 in most instances, but with a period of 6 months or more during which the average power density was approximately 1 mW/cm2.