Protect Your Eyes, Protect Your Game!
Pickleball is exploding in popularity, bringing with it incredible fun, fitness, and community. But as the game speeds up and more players hit the courts, so does the unfortunate reality of injuries. Among the most concerning are eye injuries, which can range from minor to vision-altering.
A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology (based on data collected in 2025 and released in 2026) dives deep into a critical question: how often are pickleball players actually using protective eyewear, and why?
What the Researchers Found: A Peek Behind the Goggles
Researchers looked at both professional athletes from the Zimmer Biomet Masters tournament and amateur players from courts across Connecticut to understand their eyewear habits and attitudes. Here are the key takeaways:
- Low Overall Use: Despite the increasing risk, protective eyewear use was surprisingly low across the board. Only about 20% of professional players were seen wearing eye protection. Among amateurs, the rate was higher at around 45%, but still less than half!
- Regular Glasses Aren't Enough: A significant finding was that among amateurs who *did* wear eye protection, over 61% were using their regular prescription glasses. While better than nothing, standard eyeglasses often don't meet the specific impact resistance standards required for sports protection.
- Experience Matters: Interestingly, more experienced amateur players (categorized as advanced) were more likely to wear eye protection (almost 54%) compared to beginners (just over 11%). This suggests that perhaps direct experience or awareness of game speed might increase caution.
- Why or Why Not? Players reported using eyewear due to an awareness of injury risk or knowing someone who had suffered an eye injury. On the flip side, reasons for *not* wearing eyewear included discomfort and simply never considering the risk of an eye injury.
What This Means for Your Training
This research paints a clear picture: while pickleball is fantastic, eye safety is a significant, often overlooked, concern. Here’s what you can do to protect your most valuable senses:
- Invest in True Protective Eyewear: Don't rely on your everyday glasses. Look for eyewear specifically designed for sports, ideally marked with ANSI Z87.1+ certification. These are tested to withstand significant impact, like a fast-flying pickleball.
- Make It a Habit, Not an Option: Just like stretching or warming up, make wearing eye protection part of your pre-game routine. The ball can come at you fast and unpredictably, even in casual play.
- Spread the Word: If you're a coach, emphasize eye safety from day one. If you're a player, share this information with your partners and fellow pickleball enthusiasts. Awareness is the first step to prevention.
The rise in pickleball eye injuries is a call to action for all of us. Let's make eye protection as common as a paddle in hand!
Have you tried protective eyewear? What's your experience? Let us know in the comments!