Pickerball – the fastest growing sport in the United States – causes an alarming number of eye injuries.
In a study published yesterday in the journal Jama Ophthalmology, researchers investigated the occurrence of pickleball-related eye injuries among patients who visited emergency departments in the United States and found 2024, an increase of approximately 405 injuries per year.
“This study found that pickerball-related eye injuries have increased at an alarming rate over the past 4 years as the game continues to grow in popularity,” the researchers wrote in the study. “Eye protection is currently approved for normal or active consumption. Establishing systematic guidelines for eye protection is recommended to reduce the risk of ocular injury among athletes.”
1,262 eye injuries are estimated in 2024
It seems like everyone these days is trying their hand at the odd mix of Tennis, Badminton, and Ping-Pong. I personally first learned about the game during the Covid-19 period, when people wanted for whatever reason to get out of the house (but not enough to learn to play a serious game like tennis… Kidding!).
According to the course, Prewleball’s low-impact form and simple rules, among other features, make it accessible and widely appealing. In 2024, there were about 19.8 million players in the US
To study pickerball-related eye injuries, researchers analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a government-sponsored database that collects information on consumer-related injuries from US emergency departments.
Between 2005 and 2024, researchers reported 2,472 pedestrian-related injuries, resulting in an estimated 137,471 injuries on a national scale. 7,472 records reported eye injuries, or 3,112 eye injuries on a national scale – and all occurred in 2014 or later.
The injuries resulted from accidents such as being hit directly by a pickleball, being hit directly by a paddle, or falling. Serious cases include retinal detachment, orbital fracture (breaking the bones of the socket), and hyphee (bleeding of the eye). In addition, 88% of lifting-related eye injuries identified occurred between 2022 and 2024, with an average of 1,262 occurring in 2024.
Why Increase?
“Recent research has shown that this is growing [in pickleball participation] RITION was driven primarily by the influx of regular players, “the investigators explained in the study.” Although the increase in ocular injuries may simply reflect the increasing number of players, it is also possible that regular players are prone to injury due to limited experience, or a low level of physical fitness. “
In other words, it could be the rookies’ fault, although the researchers also noted that 70% of all pickleball-related eye injuries in the study occurred in players 50 years of age or older.
“Currently, there are no official guidelines for eye protection in Pickerball. Increasing awareness of low-risk factors and systematic recommendations for eye protection can help reduce injury rates and prevent vision loss,” the researchers concluded.
