De Vector

Eye doctors warn of eye injuries in padel

A recent study of 583 players found regular reports of eye trauma, but did not measure nationwide incidence among all padel players.

A peer-reviewed study in the journal Eye has once again drawn attention to eye injuries in padel. In a survey of 583 active players, 10.3 per cent reported eye trauma, mainly caused by a ball, but the result is not a measure of the risk for all players in the Netherlands.

The researchers collected responses from 583 active padel players between May 2022 and March 2025. The questions covered sporting experience, previous eye problems, injuries, treatment and the perceived consequences for vision, daily life and work.

Of the participants, 10.3 per cent reported an eye injury related to padel. The study identifies being struck by a ball as the most common cause. According to the authors, surgery was required in approximately 10 per cent of the reported cases. That percentage concerns participants who reported an injury, not all padel players.

The study also found an association between playing more often and reporting an eye injury. In the statistical analysis, players who played four to six matches per week had a much higher chance of reporting eye trauma than players who played less often. Such an association shows that exposure may play a role, but does not prove that playing frequently is itself the cause.

Few participants regarded protective eyewear as self-evident. Only 9.6 per cent expressed strong support for its use in the survey. The authors write that education and more widely accepted protective equipment may be needed, particularly in situations where players are close to the net and have little time to react.

The study has limitations. Participants reported their own experiences, meaning that recall errors are possible. A survey may also attract participants who have previously had an injury. The researchers did not use a nationwide register of emergency care or hospital treatment.

In a Dutch professional publication, an ophthalmologist previously described a patient who had suffered serious eye injuries after a padel accident. That individual case shows that the consequences can be severe, but says nothing about the frequency of such injuries in the Netherlands.

The findings are therefore mainly relevant as a warning for prevention, not as medical advice for individual players. Anyone who develops eye complaints after a sporting accident should seek professional medical help; the study provides no treatment advice and does not compare specific glasses or other protective products.

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