Tattoos are found these days on everyone from elementary school teachers to physicians and politicians — but as inked skin becomes more common, so does a rare eye disease caused by body art.
Tattoo-associated uveitis is linked directly to tattoo ink, and a recent study found 40 affected people in Australia. The condition has also appeared in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health.
It causes blurry vision, eye pain, light sensitivity and redness. Left untreated, uveitis can lead to glaucoma, cataracts, cystoid macular edema, and in some extreme cases, permanent vision loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms do not always appear right away and can take months or years to present. This delayed onset can lead to misdiagnosis, such as conjunctivitis.
The Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock alerted U.S. emergency room physicians last year to ask about tattoos in uveitis cases.
“Patients presenting with uveitis should be asked about tattoos, and these tattoos should be evaluated for signs of inflammation,” it said. “The ophthalmologic examination should be rapid to avoid vision-threatening complications, and tattoo excision may even be recommended in very severe cases.”
The condition results from inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye, which an immune reaction to the black ink pigments in tattoos. Medical experts believe the body’s immune system reacts to the black tattoo pigments embedded in the skin, creating an inflammatory response in the eye.
A study published in the September 2025 issue of “Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology” documented the 40 tattooed people in Australia with the condition, double the number of cases from 2010.
Though the condition is rare, the study said that as tattoos become more common, tattoo-associated uveitis “may pose an increasing burden on eye health care.”
Researchers found it predominantly affects young adults, who accounted for 52.5% of the cases. The malady typically affects both eyes. Some cases respond to topical treatment, but many require systemic immunosuppressive therapy.
The Alliance of Professional Tattooists, a U.S. trade group that promotes advances in tattooing health and safety, was aware of concerns about tattoo-associated uveitis.
“At this time, there isn’t enough peer-reviewed research available for us to provide a definitive comment. For individual health concerns, we always recommend consulting a qualified medical professional,” APT Vice President Selina Medina told The Washington Times.
A Pew Research survey found that approximately 30% to 32% of the U.S. population has at least one tattoo. That’s nearly double the share of the population sporting tattoos 20 years ago.
Despite the rarity of tattoo-associated uveitis, specialists are urging greater awareness.
Types of tattoo ink vary widely and are not consistently regulated worldwide. Red and pink inks have shown similar side effects.
Researchers are still investigating the disease and its relation to tattoo ink.
• Juliet La Sala can be reached at jlasala@washingtontimes.com.
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