Pickleball eye injuries on the rise as sport gains popularity: Study

(NewsNation) — Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, and its recent surge in popularity is contributing to an increase in eye injuries while playing the sport, a recent report shows.

A study published in JAMA Ophthalmology on Thursday suggests that "pickleball-related eye injuries have increased at an alarming rate over the past 4 years," coinciding with the sharp increase in the sport's popularity.

The study examined a nationally representative sample of emergency room visits for eye injuries sustained while playing pickleball from 2005 to 2024.

Eye injuries from pickleball increasing at 'alarming rate'

There have been an estimated 3,112 eye incidents related to pickleball, with roughly 1,262 injuries occurring in 2024 alone. Players 50 and older represented 70