Australian clinicians describe 40 cases of tattoo-associated uveitis

Australian researchers have described 40 cases of uveitis linked to tattoos in a new study published in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.

The clinicians shared that tattoo-associated uveitis (TAU) is a potentially sight threatening condition that is driven by an immune response to tattoo ink.

They added that the proportion of people with tattoos in Australia increased from around one in five people in 2018 to one in four people in 2022.

“This previously rare condition has become a regular entity in Australian uveitis clinics,” the authors noted.

Among the 40 cases of TAU described in the study, more than half (52%) were under the age of 30.

All patients experienced tattoo inflammation, while most cases (92%) were associated with the use of black tattoo ink.

Among the 25 cases where the time between getting a tattoo and developing uveitis was known, 15 individuals developed uveitis more than a year after receiving the tattoo.

Of the 40 patients with TAU, there were three patients with no visual loss, 30 patients who experienced temporary visual loss and seven patients with permanent visual loss due to irreversible structural changes from chronic inflammation.

The researchers shared that long-term immunosuppressive therapy was necessary for more than half (63%) of the cohort to attain and maintain disease control.

“In Australia and globally, tattooing has become increasingly popular among younger individuals, often representing cultural or personal milestones,” the study authors highlighted.

“TAU appears to be emerging as a public eye health issue,” they noted.