Tattoo associated retinochoroiditis

A young woman was referred to our offices with impairment of visual acuity after she received a third tattoo on her arm. Systemic medical and laboratory work-up were performed in order to exclude an infectious agent or inflammatory disease. A yellowish juxtafoveal lesion in left eye along with a plaque-like outer retinal disruption and focal pigmentary defects was assessed using multi-modal diagnostic imaging.

Ophthalmologists treating uveitis should consider this uncommon association and question patients regarding tattoos and tattoo inflammation given the rise of subjects undergoing artistic tattooing.