Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department

Eye complaints are common presentations to the emergency department that require prompt diagnosis and appropriate care to prevent visual impairment. Uveitis is a serious cause of visual problems needing urgent treatment. An uncommon etiology of uveitis is secondary to a systemic autoimmune reaction to dermal tattoos, whereby tattoo ink serves as an antigenic trigger that targets the eye. In this case, we describe a 22-year-old male who presented with 2 weeks of eye pain and blurred vision. Physical examination revealed conjunctival injection with decreased visual acuity bilaterally and skin peeling with elevation exactly along the lines of his tattoos. Based on these unusual but concomitant findings, a diagnosis of tattoo-associated uveitis was made. The patient received an emergency ophthalmology consultation and was treated with topical steroids. When presented with clinical findings of uveitis, physicians should ask about and inspect tattoos as a possible etiology of systemic inflammation, which may be overlooked.