The writers of a fresh investigation state that their discoveries imply that pickleball participants might think about utilizing eye safeguards, despite the absence of any official regulations mandating it.(Image credit: adamkaz/Getty Images)
As the sport’s recognition has surged in the nation, ocular traumas tied to pickleball have escalated at a disturbing pace, according to a recent analysis.
An increasing number of individuals in the U.S. are embracing pickleball as a recreational pursuit, with recent projections suggesting that 19.8 million people engaged in the activity in 2024, an approximate 45% surge from 2023 and 311% from 2020.
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For this investigation, they sought the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a government-supported repository that reports on wounds linked to consumer products. The bulk of NEISS’s data originates from around 100 emergency department (ED) hospitals, which are handpicked to be a depiction of the more than 5,000 ED-equipped hospitals within the U.S.
The group concentrated on statistics amassed from the onset of 2005 until the close of 2024. The hunt revealed 2,472 injuries related to pickleball in various regions of the anatomy, along with 73 eye damages. These figures imply that roughly 137,470 total injuries and 3,110 ocular injuries materialized nationwide throughout that time period.
Remarkably, no ocular traumas linked to pickleball were documented before 2014, and 88% of the eye injuries documented happened between 2022 and 2024. The outcomes indicate that the incidence of eye traumas grew by approximately 405 cases yearly from 2021 to 2024, as per the writers’ computations.
Around 70% of all reported eye injuries were observed in participants aged 50 or older, implying that aging demographics are potentially more vulnerable to these types of damages due to modifications in muscle mass, skeletal strength, or steadiness, as the researchers assumed.
In instances where the origin of the injury was identified, the most typical process was being struck by the ball, succeeded by falls or being hit by a paddle. Cuts to the skin immediately surrounding the eyeball comprised the largest segment of reported injuries. Other lesser damages comprised abrasions to the cornea, the transparent shield at the anterior of the eye; inflammation within the iris, the colored section of the eye; and contusions close to the eye, otherwise called black eyes.
More severe traumas that may jeopardize a person’s eyesight included hyphema, wherein blood gathers in front of the eye; orbital fracture; retinal detachment; and globe trauma, during which the wall of the eyeball is ruptured, frequently by forceful impact.
The investigation writers mentioned that contemporary polls suggest that the increase in pickleball involvement is fueled by an “arrival of casual players,” in contrast to “core players” who engage in the sport over eight times per year.
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“Even though the rise in eye injuries could simply mirror the increasing player count, it’s equally plausible that amateur players are more prone to injury as a result of insufficient practice, unfamiliarity with the sport, or poorer physical aptitude,” the investigators proposed. Nonetheless, they mentioned in their report that additional statistics are necessary to affirm that suspicion.
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Notably, the writers included that NEISS data is exclusively taken from a fragment of EDs; therefore, it may not perfectly represent the country on the whole. Additionally, the investigation didn’t capture patients who might have sought attention at outpatient centers instead of the ED. Nevertheless, the researchers reached the conclusion that the statistics point to a possibly “alarming” inclination.
“At present, there are no formal protocols concerning eye safeguards in pickleball,” they noted. The study writers pointed out that although the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises that pickleball participants utilize protective eyewear when playing, pickleball groups do not demand or advance this safeguard.
“Elevating awareness for age-related threat factors and devising standardized suggestions for eye protection might aid in lessening injury rates and averting visual impairment,” they documented.
Disclaimer
This article is only designed for informational purposes and is not intended to substitute for professional health guidance.
Nicoletta LaneseSocial Links NavigationHealth Channel Editor
Nicoletta Lanese serves as the health channel editor at Live Science and formerly held the roles of news editor and staff journalist at the website. She possesses a graduate certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Among other publications, her work has featured in The Scientist, Science News, the Mercury News, Mongabay, and Stanford Medicine Magazine. Currently residing in NYC, she also remains deeply invested in dance and performs in pieces by local choreographers.
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