One Pair. Two Jobs.

When you think about pickleball eye protection, your mind probably goes straight to getting hit by the ball. And rightfully so.

No matter how much you train, drill, or sharpen your reflexes, your eyes remain one of the most vulnerable parts of your body. As paddles evolve toward more power and pop, the game has become faster and more dangerous. Most serious eye injuries happen when you least expect them. Often, it is a mishit off your partner's paddle from just a few feet away.

Your eyes are a powerful yet delicate tool. A single impact can lead to a scratched cornea, a detached retina, or even permanent vision loss.

That is why Brioti eyewear is built with lab-tested Z87+ impact protection. Our performance eyewear is designed to help shield your eyes from unexpected impacts, so you can stay safe and confident on court.

The Bigger Picture: What the Data Shows

As you'd expect with the surge of pickleball adoption, emergency department visits for pickleball-related injuries rose from 1,313 in 2014 to 24,461 in 2023¹. Considering pickleball participation has grown 311 percent in the past three years², that number is likely much higher today in 2025. Eye health experts note that racket sports are a leading source of sports-related eye injuries, with a systematic review attributing 28 to 52 percent of cases³. Roughly 10 percent of racket-sport injuries involve the face or eyes⁴, and documented pickleball eye injuries include corneal abrasions, hyphema, and retinal tears⁵.

Matt's Story (Coeur d'Alene, ID)

Matt Mina is a local pro with a 5.0 DUPR who suffered a major eye injury in early 2024. While countering a speed-up with a forehand roll, the ball deflected off his paddle and struck him directly in the eye.

The impact caused a hyphema, a pooling of blood in the front of the eye.

His ocular pressure spiked into the high 30s (normal is between 12 and 21 mmHg), triggering headaches. Matt described it as "trying to look through a jar of Vaseline."

For weeks, he could not lift anything heavy or raise his heart rate. Any increase in blood pressure risked reopening the injury. The hardest part, according to him, was having to sleep upright for days to avoid strain on his retina.

He was off the court and out of work for a month. It took another two months before his iris could fully contract again.

Fortunately, Matt made a full recovery. Today, he chooses Brioti eyewear to protect his eyes from both impact and long-term damage. His go-to lens? The OGMENT 4D Boost for added ball visibility in both indoor and outdoor play.

Here is a recent video of Matt with an impressive singles point finish:
Watch on YouTube

The Hidden Danger: UV Protection

A hard-hit ball might seem like the biggest danger, but long-term UV exposure is just as serious. Over time, ultraviolet rays can contribute to cataracts, macular degeneration, cancer of the eyelids, and other irreversible eye damage. Unlike impact injuries, this harm often goes unnoticed for years.

Brioti lenses provide UVA and UVB protection with full UV400 coverage. Our tints enhance clarity and contrast while blocking harmful rays, keeping your eyes protected whether you play under bright sun or overcast skies.

But lenses are only part of the equation. Many style-forward models lack wrap, which allows light to leak in around the edges and reduces UV protection. The Brioti FOCOS features a high-wrap frame and panoramic spherical lens that help minimize light leakage, protecting as much of your eyes as possible.

The Pair You Cannot Replace

Whether you are battling at the kitchen line or training under the sun, your eyes deserve full protection. With Brioti, you do not have to choose between clarity and safety. Every pair is built for both jobs.

One pair. Two protections. Zero compromises.

Sources

1. The Epidemiology of Pickleball Injuries Presenting to US Emergency Departments, 2014 to 2023. Sports Health. 2025. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12259589/
2. Sports & Fitness Industry Association. 2025 Topline Participation Report. 2025. Available at: https://sfia.org/resources/sfias-topline-participation-report-shows-247-1-million-americans-were-active-in-2024/
3. Mazarelo JFD, Winter SL, Fong DTP. A systematic review on the effectiveness of eyewear in reducing the incidence and severity of eye injuries in racket sports. The Physician and Sportsmedicine. 2024. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37070274/
4. Nhan DT, Klyce W, Lee RJ. Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States, 1997–2016. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6056792/
5. Boopathiraj N, Wagner IV, Krambeer CJ, et al. In a pickle: Cases of pickleball related ocular injuries. American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports. 2024. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11152897/