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...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jets.jets_52_24 |
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| _version_ | 1850086559205818368 |
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| author | Sara Twadell Anabelle N. Taveras William Benda Scott M. Alter |
| author_facet | Sara Twadell Anabelle N. Taveras William Benda Scott M. Alter |
| author_sort | Sara Twadell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5ddefbaa0b974c659343e1b9feb8c8d3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0974-2700 0974-519X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock |
| spelling | doaj-art-5ddefbaa0b974c659343e1b9feb8c8d32025-08-20T02:43:27ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock0974-27000974-519X2025-04-01182919310.4103/jets.jets_52_24Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency DepartmentSara TwadellAnabelle N. TaverasWilliam BendaScott M. AlterEye 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.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jets.jets_52_24emergency careophthalmologytattootattoo complicationsuveitis |
| spellingShingle | Sara Twadell Anabelle N. Taveras William Benda Scott M. Alter Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock emergency care ophthalmology tattoo tattoo complications uveitis |
| title | Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department |
| title_full | Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department |
| title_fullStr | Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department |
| title_short | Tattoo-associated Uveitis Presenting to the Emergency Department |
| title_sort | tattoo associated uveitis presenting to the emergency department |
| topic | emergency care ophthalmology tattoo tattoo complications uveitis |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jets.jets_52_24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT saratwadell tattooassociateduveitispresentingtotheemergencydepartment AT anabellentaveras tattooassociateduveitispresentingtotheemergencydepartment AT williambenda tattooassociateduveitispresentingtotheemergencydepartment AT scottmalter tattooassociateduveitispresentingtotheemergencydepartment |