Background <p>Fishing is a popular recreational activity in the United States that has potential to cause serious ocular injuries. The objective of this study was to analyze annual trends in US Emergency Department (ED) visits for fishing-related eye injuries from 2014 to 2023 using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database.</p> Methods <p>A NEISS database search was conducted for injuries to the eyeball (body part code 77) caused by fishing (product code 3223). Patient demographics, diagnosis, season of injury, and injury mechanisms were examined for each case.</p> Results <p>Out of 148 identified cases, 7 were excluded, leaving 141 cases for analysis. These were extrapolated to a national estimate of 6,794 fishing-related eye injuries (95% CI: 4,723–8,865). The number of reported cases decreased by 65.4% over the 10 year study period. Most patients were male (84.4%) and White (55.3%), with a substantial number of cases occurring in children (41.8%). Injuries predominantly occurred while fishing (55.3%) and in summer (35.5%). The leading mechanism was fishing poles, rods, lines, or nets (31.2%), with corneal abrasions as the most common diagnosis (39.0%). The majority (84.4%) were treated and released from the ED.</p> Conclusions <p>Fishing-related eye injuries have declined over the past decade but remain a preventable cause of ocular trauma, particularly among children engaged in recreational fishing. Strengthening public awareness and promoting the routine use of protective eyewear are essential to further reduce these injuries.</p> Key messages <p><Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">What is known</Emphasis><UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> <p>Fishing-related eye injuries are a recognized hazard and cause significant traumato the eye and surrounding structures.</p> </ItemContent> </UnorderedList></p> <p><Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">What is new</Emphasis><UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> <p>Using National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data from 2014 to2023, there was an annual estimate of 6794 fishing-related eye injuries. Over thestudy period, the number of reported cases decreased significantly.</p> </ItemContent> </UnorderedList><UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> <p>Fishing-related eye injuries most often occurred in sports settings, peaked insummer, and were commonly caused by fishing poles and fish hooks, with corneal abrasions being the most frequent diagnosis. The majority were treated andreleased, while 9.9% required admission.</p> </ItemContent> </UnorderedList></p>