Remember to dink responsibly! Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, has mass appeal thanks to its low-impact design, accessibility and straightforward rules.
Played by 19.8 million people in 2024, this wildly popular sport actually serves up some pretty serious eye injuries.
Published in JAMA Ophthalmology, new research shows that pickleball-related eye injuries more than doubled between 2021 and 2024, jumping by over 400 cases annually compared to the previous decade.
“Pickleball-related eye injuries have increased at an alarming rate over the past four years as the sport continues to grow in popularity,” said the study authors.
While eye protection is not mandated for casual or professional pickleball play, researchers are hopeful their findings will encourage players to use proper gear.
“People often think of pickleball as an easier sport. It may be lower velocity compared to other types of racquet sports, but it’s still a hard ball that moves fast,” Dr. Matthew Gorski, an ophthalmologist at Northwell Health, told The Post.
“You’re in close quarters, and the court is much smaller than something like tennis.”
