Getting a tattoo can be a thrilling, albeit painful, experience.
About one-third of Australians have a tattoo, with many getting inked as a rite of passage.
However, a small but increasing number of Australians are being diagnosed with a rare tattoo-related eye condition. It’s known as tattoo-associated uveitis and can cause permanent vision loss.
So what is this condition? And what do tattoos have to do with eye health?
How might a tattoo impact my eyes?
Tattoo inks used in Australia and other countries may contain toxic chemicals, which have been linked to the development of certain cancers.
This is a concern from a regulation perspective. That’s because Australia, compared to other jurisdictions, has less strict rules around what ingredients go into tattoo ink. The European Union, for example, bans many of the inks that are allowed in Australia.
From a health perspective, the vast majority of people don’t react to these chemicals. But in some cases, they may trigger a harmful immune response. This happens when a person’s immune system recognises the ink as being dangerous and starts attacking the tattoo site. This can cause inflammation, both of the tattooed skin and other parts of the body.
Inflammatory cells from a tattoo may breach the blood-ocular barrier, which is a wall-like structure designed to protect the inside of the eye. If that happens, inflammation can spread to various parts of the eye.
This includes the uvea, the middle layer of the eye which helps it focus on nearby objects. The uvea also contains the coloured part of the eye, the iris.
If your uvea becomes inflamed, you may develop the rare condition known as tattoo-associated uveitis. Symptoms include sudden pain, red eyes, and increased sensitivity to light. In severe cases, this condition can lead to glaucoma, which refers to several eye diseases caused by damage to the optic nerve, or scarring on your eye. Both complications can cause blindness, if left untreated or if treatment is delayed.
Who’s most at risk?
In a 2025 study, a group of Australian eye health experts examined 40 known cases of tattoo-associated uveitis reported between 2023 and 2025. With these new cases, the number of global cases has doubled since 2010. Tattoo-associated uveitis is still a rare condition. But scientists say it may be more common than we think, with some describing it as a public health issue.
In this 2025 study, researchers found tattoo-associated uveitis consistently caused inflammation at the tattoo site. Patients experienced inflammation anywhere between three months and ten years after getting a tattoo.
A 2026 review of related studies suggests larger tattoos and tattoos made of black ink were more likely to cause tattoo-associated uveitis.
Existing research suggests tattoo-associated uveitis affects men and women equally. But people with over-active immune systems may be more likely to develop uveitis. This is especially true for people with existing medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis and certain kinds of arthritis and bowel disease. And there is evidence to suggest people with sarcoidosis, a condition which mainly causes inflammation in the lungs, may be at greater risk of developing tattoo-associated uveitis.
Can you treat it?
Yes, but treatment may not work for everyone.
We can treat milder cases with steroid eyedrops. These eyedrops work by suppressing the activity of immune cells which cause the inflammation. Steroid eyedrops also help strengthen the blood-ocular barrier, which prevents harmful substances from entering the eye.
But in most cases, ophthalmologists need to inject steroids into the patient’s eyeball. This ensures the steroids go directly to the most inflamed area, where they can act quickly and effectively. Patients may also need to take immunosuppressive medications such as methotrexate or adalimubab over a period of months or even years.
However, treatment doesn’t always work. Even after having treatment, about 75% of patients experience temporary vision loss and 17% experience permanent visual loss. Many also develop cataract and glaucoma, both conditions which can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness.
So if you have a tattoo and notice any swelling at the tattoo site, you should speak to an optometrist as soon as possible. You should do the same if you experience any vision problems, such as sudden pain or redness in your eye. If your optometrist finds you have tattoo-related uveitis, they can refer you for treatment or to see an ophthalmologist.
We still have a lot to learn about tattoo-associated uveitis. And the popularity of tattoos, particularly larger designs made of black ink, means the number of Australian cases may continue to rise.
