Pickleball Boom Brings Unexpected Surge in Eye Trauma
Description
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Pickleball’s explosive growth has led to a surge in serious eye injuries, with emergency room cases increasing by 405 each year between 2021 and 2024
Most eye injuries occur in players over 50, whose slower reflexes and vision changes make them more vulnerable to high-speed impacts and falls
The sport’s modern paddles can launch balls over 60 miles per hour at the kitchen line — just 14 feet apart — leaving players less than half a second to react
Despite the sharp rise in injuries, there are still no universal safety rules requiring protective eyewear in recreational or professional play
Wearing shatterproof glasses, warming up, and improving balance are simple steps that protect your eyesight and keep pickleball fun, safe, and injury-free
Pickleball’s rapid rise from a quiet backyard hobby to one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. has brought more than just packed courts — it’s exposed a blind spot in player safety. What started as a casual, low-impact game has become a national obsession, drawing players of every age and fitness level. Its appeal lies in its simplicity and social nature, offering movement and connection without the intensity of traditional racket sports.
But as more people take up paddles, the hidden risks are starting to surface. Eye injuries, once rare in recreational play, are now an emerging problem as the sport becomes faster, more competitive, and technologically advanced. Stronger paddles, tighter court spacing, and aging participants have created a perfect storm for impact injuries that most players never expect.
If you’ve picked up pickleball for fun, fitness, or friendship, this issue affects you directly. A single moment of distraction — a deflected ball or an awkward stumble — quickly turns a lighthearted match into a medical emergency. Protecting your vision isn’t about fear; it’s about staying informed and proactive so you can keep enjoying the game safely for years to come.
To understand why these injuries are rising so sharply, researchers have started tracking the patterns, players, and conditions behind them — and what they’ve found should make every player think twice before stepping onto the court unprotected.
Pickleball’s Popularity Surge Is Blinding Some Players
A cross-sectional study published in JAMA Ophthalmology examined nearly 20 years of emergency room data from hospitals across the U.S. to understand how often pickleball leads to serious eye trauma.1 The researchers found an alarming trend: between 2021 and 2024, pickleball-related eye injuries increased by roughly 405 cases per year.
In total, an estimated 3,112 eye injuries occurred between 2005 and 2024, with 1,262 cases recorded in 2024 alone. That’s a steep rise directly linked to the sport’s explosive growth and its estimated 19.8 million U.S. players.
Older adults face the greatest risk of eye trauma — The study revealed that 70% of all reported pickleball eye injuries occurred in players aged 50 and older. Researchers believe this is due to slower reflexes, reduced balance, and age-related vision changes that make it harder to react quickly to fast-moving balls.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>Injuries ranged from mild corneal abrasions — scratches on the eye’s surface — to severe trauma like hyphema (bleeding in the front chamber of the eye), orbital fractures (broken bones around the eye), and retinal detachment (when your retina separates from the back of your eye). Any of these injuries can lead to partial or permanent vision loss if not treated immediately.
The speed and force of play have increased dramatically — When a hollow, perforated plastic ball — only 26 grams in weight — is hit hard by a modern composite paddle, it often travels more than 60 miles per hour at close range. To put this in perspective, that’s fast enough to deform your cornea and cause damage deep inside your eye.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>According to the data, 43% of eye injuries were caused by direct ball impact, while 28% were from falls and 12% from accidental paddle hits. At the “kitchen line,” the no-volley zone that separates players just 14 feet apart, reaction time is razor-thin — often less than half a second to respond to a fast-moving ball.
Modern paddles are unintentionally making the game more dangerous — Advances in paddle technology — especially those using ethylene-vinyl acetate foam and high-tension carbon fiber — have increased rebound speed and reduced shock absorption. The result is a faster game with less reaction time, particularly in doubles play, where four players crowd a small court.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>This creates a higher probability that a deflected or mishit ball will strike someone’s face or eyes. The researchers suggested that as paddles become more powerful, safety equipment should evolve with them.
Emergency room data underestimates the true number of injuries — The researchers cautioned that their findings likely represent only a fraction of the real number of cases. Their analysis drew exclusively from hospital emergency departments, meaning it excluded patients who went to urgent care centers, eye clinics, or primary care offices.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>Many players with mild to moderate eye injuries — like minor abrasions or bruising — don’t report them, so the national estimate of 3,112 likely undercounts the total number of incidents.
Severe injuries demand surgery and long recovery times — A small but serious percentage of players suffered sight-threatening trauma. Retinal detachment requires immediate surgical intervention to reattach the retina and restore vision.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>Hyphema, another common severe injury, involves bleeding inside the eye that raises internal pressure and risks permanent damage to the optic nerve. These injuries take months of recovery and cost thousands of dollars in follow-up care.
The Lack of Eye Protection Standards Leaves Players Exposed
Despite the sharp rise in injuries, there are still no universal rules requiring eye protection in casual or professional pickleball. The study emphasized that this lack of safety guidelines puts millions of players at risk.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has urged the use of eyewear meeting ASTM F3164 standards — the same used in tennis and racquetball — to prevent serious injury. However, most recreational players are unaware of these recommendations, and USA Pickleball has yet to implement them at the tournament level.
Simple safety habits could prevent vision loss — The authors recommended that players — especially those over 50 or with existing eye conditions — wear shatterproof eyewear, stretch before play, and avoid risky close-range volleys. They also suggested strength and balance training to reduce fall-related trauma. For those with nearsightedness, cataracts, or family history of retinal problems, eye protection is even more important.
Older adults aren’t the only ones at risk — Although most injuries occurred in those over 50, younger players were not immune. About 30% of reported cases occurred among players aged 30 to 59, and nearly 1 in 5 involved players under 30.
<label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label>The researchers pointed out that young
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