Pickleball, a game that drew millions of Americans into its quick volleys and friendly rivalries, has also begun to leave a mark on their eyesight. A new study in JAMA Ophthalmology traces roughly 3,100 emergency visits for pickleball eye injuries across two decades, with the sharpest climb arriving in the most recent years. The people most affected are often those who came to the sport later in life, arriving without much preparation for its sudden movements. The story sits at the familiar meeting point where a pleasant pastime grows faster than the habits and safeguards that should accompany
Pickleball Eye Injuries Climb in the U.S. as the Sport Booms, Study Finds
Players, especially those aged 50 and over, suffered eye injuries ranging from minor issues to retinal detachments, orbital fractures, and globe injuries.
No eye protection is required, in casual or competitive play
Mark
3,112 injuries over twenty years sounds modest next to 36.5 million players. Why does this matter?
Mimi
Because of the shape of it. 1,262 of those came in 2024 alone, and the count has been rising by about 405 a year since 2021.
Mark
And these aren't just bruises?
Mimi
Some are minor, but the study lists retinal detachments, orbital fractures, globe injuries, and hyphema. Those can be serious.
Luke
Worth saying these are estimates from emergency department surveillance data. They count visits, not every injury, and not people who never went to the ER.
Mark
Who's getting hurt most?
Mimi
Players 50 and older make up a significantly larger share. Most injuries come from being hit by a ball or paddle, with some from falls.
Luke
The article doesn't give the actual percentage for the 50-plus group, so I'd hold off on any bigger claim there.
Mark
Is it just that more people play?
Mimi
Partly. Eric Bowman points to people jumping in without much thought for form or technique.
Luke
That's one physician's explanation. The study's numbers show the rise, but this account of the cause isn't something the reporting proves.
Mark
So what can a player do?
Mimi
There's no eye protection requirement, so it's up to them. Sports goggles or impact-resistant glasses are the advice.
El Pulso
- Emergency rooms across the country are filling with players whose eyes were struck by balls or paddles during a game meant for fun.
- Injuries have climbed sharply since 2021, with roughly 1,262 cases logged in 2024 alone.
- Players aged 50 and older are bearing a disproportionate share of severe harm, including retinal detachments and orbital fractures.
- No rule requires eye protection in casual or competitive play, leaving experts calling for standardized guidelines while players are told to wear goggles on their own.
Pickleball, a game that drew millions of Americans into its quick volleys and friendly rivalries, has also begun to leave a mark on their eyesight. A new study in JAMA Ophthalmology traces roughly 3,100 emergency visits for pickleball eye injuries across two decades, with the sharpest climb arriving in the most recent years. The people most affected are often those who came to the sport later in life, arriving without much preparation for its sudden movements. The story sits at the familiar meeting point where a pleasant pastime grows faster than the habits and safeguards that should accompany it.
Roughly 1,262 pickleball-related eye injuries sent people to U.S. emergency departments in 2024. Over the twenty years from 2005 through 2024, the total reaches about 3,112, according to a JAMA Ophthalmology study drawing on national emergency surveillance data. The estimates come from a sample rather than a full count, but the trend in the final years is unmistakable, with cases rising by roughly 405 per year from 2021 to 2024.
The sport has spread with remarkable speed. Tens of millions of Americans have tried it, and the country now has more than 10,700 dedicated courts. The injuries range from minor scrapes to serious damage such as retinal detachments, orbital fractures, and bleeding inside the eye. Most came from direct strikes by a ball or paddle, and players 50 and older made up a notably larger share than younger players.
The study's lead voice, Eric N. Bowman, points to more than sheer numbers. Many people step onto the court without much attention to form or to the sudden movements the game demands, and newcomers without preparation are especially exposed. For now, eye protection is not required in any form of play. Experts are pressing for standardized safety guidelines, and until those arrive, the practical advice is simple: sports goggles or impact-resistant glasses. The open questions are whether those guidelines will materialize and whether 2024 marks a peak or a new normal.
An estimated 1,262 pickleball-related eye injuries sent people to U.S. emergency departments in 2024. That is the single-year figure at the center of a new study in JAMA Ophthalmology, and it sits inside a larger count: roughly 3,112 such injuries between 2005 and 2024.
The researchers drew on the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, which tracks emergency department visits, and looked at the two decades through 2024. The numbers are estimates built from that surveillance data, not a tally of every case. Within that window, the recent years stand out. From 2021 to 2024, injuries rose by about 405 cases per year.
The backdrop is a sport that has spread fast. An estimated 36.5 million Americans have played pickleball at least once. What began as casual games has grown into organized leagues and national tournaments, and the country now has more than 10,700 dedicated courts, with more being added.
The injuries themselves cover a wide range. Some were minor. Others were severe: retinal detachments, orbital fractures, globe injuries, and hyphema, which is bleeding inside the front of the eye. Most happened when a player was struck directly by a ball or a paddle, though some came from falls on the court.
Age shaped the pattern. Players 50 and older accounted for a significantly larger share of the injuries than younger players did.
More people playing explains part of the rise, but the study's authors point to something else as well. Eric N. Bowman, MD, MPH, quoted via JAMA Network, said most people jump in without much consideration for form, technique, and the kinds of movement the sport demands. Newcomers arriving without preparation or experience, in other words, are more exposed.
There is currently no requirement for eye protection in either casual or competitive pickleball. Given the climbing numbers, experts recommend standardized eye safety guidelines for players. Until such rules exist, the advice is individual: wear protective eyewear, such as sports goggles or impact-resistant glasses.
What to watch is whether the guidelines experts are calling for take shape, and whether the 2024 figure proves a peak or a new baseline.
Citas Notables
Most people just jump in without much consideration for form, technique, and the types of movement necessary to participate in the sport.— Eric N. Bowman, MD, MPH, via JAMA Network
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