Ocular injuries in padel: findings from a survey on frequency, risk factors, and perceptions toward protective eyewear

Objectives: To characterize the proportion of respondents reporting padel-related ocular injury and its perceived long-term consequences, identify independent factors associated with injury reporting, and assess players’ acceptance of protective eyewear. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, voluntary online survey was distributed nationally via Italian padel websites and social-media forums between April 2024 and March 2025. A total of 583 respondents formed the analytic cohort. The 31-item questionnaire captured demographics, playing habits, ocular injury history, perceived impact on quality of life (QoL), vision (QoV), work, and attitudes toward protective goggles. Responses were limited to one submission per personal email account. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of ocular trauma. Results: Sixty players (10.3%) self-reported at least one ocular injury; 55 (92%) were attributed to ball impact. Among injured participants, 25% described long-lasting reductions in QoL, 15% in QoV, and 8.3% in work performance; 6 players (10%) reported undergoing ocular surgery. Weekly playing frequency emerged as the only independent factor associated with injury reporting: compared with <1 match/week, the odds of injury peaked at 4–6 matches/week (OR 26.85; p < 0.001). Only 56 respondents (9.6%) strongly endorsed protective goggles use. Conclusion: Among respondents to this convenience-based survey, 10.3% reported having sustained ocular trauma, with up to one quarter of injured individuals describing long-lasting sequelae. Acceptance of protective goggles was low. These findings may inform targeted educational initiatives and the development of sport-specific safety recommendations for this rapidly expanding sport.