By The South Asia Times

SYDNEY - Doctors in Australia are raising concerns over a rare but potentially sight-threatening condition linked to tattoos after new research documented a sharp rise in cases, according to ABC News report.

Chef Nelize Pretorius began experiencing blurred vision that worsened rapidly in both eyes. Initially diagnosed as conjunctivitis, tests later ruled that out, leaving doctors struggling to explain the inflammation.

The cause was eventually traced not to her eyes directly, but to an immune reaction triggered by a years-old tattoo on her back.

The condition, known as tattoo-associated uveitis, occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the eyes, leading to inflammation that can cause permanent vision loss, glaucoma and the need for long-term immunosuppressive treatment.

Ms Pretorius said she was shocked to learn the source of her illness. “I was losing my vision and nobody was able to tell me why,” she said, adding that she had assumed the main risk of tattoos was cosmetic regret rather than serious health complications.

The case forms part of new research published in Clinical and Experimental Opthalmology, which identified 40 new cases of tattoo-associated uveitis in Australia. The findings effectively double the number of documented cases reported globally since 2010.

Ophthalmologist Dr Josephine Richards, who treated Pretorius, said specialists began noticing an increase in similar cases in recent years, particularly among young people with tattoos. At a recent medical conference, eye inflammation experts reported seeing comparable patients across several Australian states.

Uveitis can cause blurred vision, light sensitivity and eye pain, and if untreated, may result in irreversible damage. In the newly published study, most patients required long-term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, and only a small number avoided vision loss.

Researchers say the precise trigger remains unclear, though black ink tattoos were most commonly associated with the reaction. In many cases, symptoms developed one to two years after tattooing, though one patient developed complications decades later. Some affected individuals had received tattoos overseas, complicating efforts to identify the exact dye compositions involved.

Medical experts are calling for further research into tattoo inks and their potential immune effects. While the complication remains rare compared with the millions of people who get tattoos worldwide, doctors warn that greater awareness is needed to prevent delayed diagnosis and long-term harm.