Dr. Ernie Medina, a preventive care and public health expert, launched the No 2 Naked Eyeballs campaign in 2017 after recognizing the risk of eye injuries in pickleball. With a background in racquetball and tennis, he had always been accustomed to wearing protective eyewear. When he transitioned to pickleball in 2016, he immediately saw the potential for serious eye injuries due to the game’s speed and ball trajectory.

“I would feel naked without eye protection – just like I never played racquetball without eye protection,” says Dr. Medina.

At the 2018 US Open Pickleball Championships, he and co-founder Cheryl Capobianco began distributing stickers to raise awareness. They soon caught the attention of both amateur and professional players, as well as industry figures like Dusty from Pickleball Channel. Since then, Dr. Medina has continued his grassroots efforts, advocating for protective eyewear at clinics, lessons, and tournaments.

Dr. Medina has witnessed and heard of numerous pickleball-related eye injuries, ranging from scratched corneas to detached retinas. A direct hit to the eye can cause serious damage, potentially ending a player’s time on the court. Even indirect impacts, like a stray paddle swing, pose a risk.

"We have less control and hit way too hard too often! So we need it more than the pros do," says Dr. Medina, emphasizing that recreational players are at just as much risk as high-level competitors.

For those who wear prescription glasses, they may provide some protection, but players who wear contacts should absolutely consider protective eyewear.

Some professional players, including Anna Leigh Waters, Andrei Daescu, and Scott Moore, have already adopted protective eyewear as part of their gear. However, there is currently no official requirement for pro players to wear eye protection.

Dr. Medina believes that mandatory protective eyewear should start at the youth level (U18) in sanctioned tournaments. Just as other youth sports enforce safety rules (like helmets in cycling or goggles in swimming), he hopes that implementing eyewear requirements for young pickleball players will create lifelong habits.

So far, USA Pickleball (USAP) strongly recommends eye protection but has not yet made it mandatory.

Advancements in paddle technology have made the game faster and more powerful, increasing the likelihood of injuries. As a member of the USAP Board of Directors, Dr. Medina has seen firsthand how modern paddles impact player safety.

“While I'm not for going back to wooden paddles, I think the easy solution is to 'require' people to wear eye protection,” he says.

Not all eyewear is created equal. The most important factor when selecting protective eyewear is ensuring that it is shatterproof. Brands like Brioti, designed specifically for pickleballers, offer reliable eye protection tailored to the sport’s unique demands.

If you are unsure where to start, consulting an expert in sports ophthalmology can help you find the right fit.

The best way to promote eye protection is to lead by example – wear protective eyewear when you play! Coaches should also encourage their students, especially juniors, to wear eye protection.

Dr. Medina funds the No 2 Naked Eyeballs campaign entirely on his own and continues to distribute stickers to raise awareness. If you’d like to support the movement, request stickers, spread the word, and advocate for protective eyewear in your local pickleball community.

Dr. Medina’s ultimate goal is to make protective eyewear the norm, especially for youth players. By working with USAP and academic researchers, he hopes to push for mandatory eyewear requirements for U18 players in sanctioned tournaments.

Additionally, he is exploring opportunities to conduct research on eye injuries in pickleball at Loma Linda University, where he is a professor.

“My goal is to prevent a player from getting injured in the eye where they can't play pickleball anymore. Eye injuries are 100% preventable by wearing eye protection,” says Dr. Medina.

Pickleball is an exciting, fast-paced sport – but safety should always come first. Protect your vision, spread the word, and join the movement to keep pickleball players’ eyes safe!