Epidemiology of sports-related retinal injuries in emergency departments

To describe the national epidemiology, injury patterns, and temporal trends of sports-related retinal injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments.

Retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Patients presenting to U.S. emergency departments with sports-related retinal injuries recorded in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 2005 through 2024.

National Electronic Injury Surveillance System records involving ocular injuries were screened for confirmed retinal pathology, defined as traumatic involvement of the neurosensory retina or retinal vasculature. National estimates were calculated using survey weights to account for the complex sampling design. Temporal trends were evaluated using survey-weighted annual estimates and Spearman's rank correlation.

A total of 335 unweighted cases were identified, representing approximately 9787 cases nationwide. The mean age was 30.4 ± 19.7 years, and 70.2% of injuries occurred in male patients. Adolescents aged 10-19 years represented the largest affected group (41.8%). Retinal detachment (19.5%), vitreous hemorrhage (18.9%), and commotio retinae (13.5%) were the most common diagnoses. Soccer was most frequently implicated (25.2%), followed by gas-, air-, or spring-operated guns (8.4%) and basketball (7.1%). Both the annual national frequency (ρ = 0.711; P < 0.001) and proportion relative to total sports-related ocular trauma (ρ = 0.857; P < 0.001) increased significantly from 2005 to 2024.

Sports-related retinal injuries remain uncommon but have increased significantly over time, particularly among adolescents. Ball sports and activities that involve projectiles account for most cases, with retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage representing the most frequent pathologies. These findings highlight the growing burden of retinal injury, underscoring the need for targeted prevention and improved detection in acute care settings.