As the summer season peaks, sports activities in apartments and coaching camps have soared, with badminton at the heart of physical activities, being the second most popular sport in India after cricket. Doctors, however, are worried about an unsual trend: a spike in eye injuries.

Hospitals across Bengaluru - home to some of India's best badminton facilities, including the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy - has been reporting a minimum of five badminton-related eye injuries each week, with the flight of the shuttlecock being a major concern.

As per a Times of India report, badminton is the top most cause of eye injuries, with 60 per cent of eye injuries caused by shuttlecocks.

"Among all the sports we see causing eye injuries, badminton is by far the most common culprit. We see 10 to 15 such cases every month, especially during summer when kids attend sports camps," said Dr Rohit Shetty, chairman of Narayana Nethralaya.

"We see 4-5 badminton-related eye injuries every week, from corneal abrasions and bleeding inside the eye to serious cases like retinal tears and detachments," said Dr Sri Ganesh, chairman and managing director of Nethradhama Super Speciality Hospital.

"It (shuttlecock) is small enough to bypass the bony rim around the eye and hit the eyeball directly. That's what causes the damage. In contrast, balls used in sports like tennis or cricket are larger and tend to hit the bone, which offers some protection," he explained.

The injuries are much higher in doubles matches. "Players are so close to each other, accidental hits are very common," said Dr Ganesh.

Dr Shetty defined these shuttlecock-related injuries into two categories. "One is a closed globe injury, where the eye looks normal from the outside, but inside, there could be damage to the retina or optic nerve. The other is an open globe injury, where there's a visible rupture or corneal damage. Both need immediate attention."

As most are amateur players and their skill levels vary, their way of tackling the shuttlecock is causing the harm, with most avoiding protective glasses during matches. "Kids who need glasses but do not wear them cannot judge the speed or direction of the shuttle properly. They miscalculate, and that's often how they get hit," said Dr Shetty.

Badminton is the fastest racquet sport, with a smash reaching speeds of up to 565 km/h - the fastest ever recorded, played by India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. For players positioned closer to the net and lacking the skills to retrieve the shuttlecock, this often results in eye injuries.

"There could be an indirect injury as well, when someone is wearing glasses and the shuttle or racket hits them, causing the lenses to shatter. When you play, you're tracking the shuttle with your eyes while also manoeuvring the racket in the same visual plane, which increases the risk of accidental hits," said Dr Pallavi Joshi of Sankara Eye Hospital.

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