Racquetball as an ocular hazard
M. T. Doxanas and C. Soderstrom
Thirty-seven cases of ocular injury incurred while persons were playing
racquetball were found in reviewing records of 1,071 emergency room
patients in a three-month period. These can be divided into ball-induced
and racquet-induced injuries. Fifteen ball-induced injuries occurred,
ranging from a corneal abrasion to vitreous hemorrhage, in a patient with
sickle cell retinopathy. Twenty-two cases of racquet-induced brow
lacerations that occurred when the player struck his (or her) own forehead
with the racquet were found. During the same interval, five tennis-related
ocular injuries were observed. Ocular safety devices are strongly
recommended to help prevent racquetball injuries.
