An unusual medical case was recently published in the Israel Medical Association’s monthly medical journal, Harefuah, which described an eye inflammation caused by a tattoo. A 37-year-old woman got herself inked and then nearly lost her eyesight. Although her vision was later improved through expensive treatment, this case is not an isolated incident, as medical experts have long been linking non-regulated tattoo inks to various skin infections.
According to Harefuah, as the woman began suffering from blurred vision, she underwent extensive examinations at Robin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah, Tikva. The doctors there found her suffering from a severe eye inflammation, which is the first sign of sarcoidosis.
After she got a biopsy done for one of her tattoos, the real surprise came. The result revealed the formation of inflammatory granulomas, indicating that the inks played a major role in triggering sarcoidosis, a disease that nearly caused the woman to lose her eyesight.
This rare, multisystem inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas, affects organs like the lungs, lymph nodes, liver, and in cases like her, eyes. The symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss, fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin rashes or growths, joint pain, and eye changes.
Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease commonly involving the lungs and lymph nodes. There’s no cure for sarcoidosis, but some symptoms can improve with treatment, and sometimes disappear on their own.#Sarcoidosis #AutoImmuneDisease #ChronicCondition pic.twitter.com/5ZuCGgfHax
— SIMEDHealth (@SIMEDHealth) April 29, 2025
Although the treatment for sarcoidosis vary depending on the disease’s location and severity, this 37-year-old woman was initially treated with steroids. Then, she underwent advanced biological therapy, which significantly improved her blurred vision.
The incident once again pointed out how some tattoo ink’s chemical pigments could trigger infectious disease, particularly in people with weak immune system or genetic predisposition.
However, this is not the only case. Studied have found that getting inked under non-sterile conditions could lead to various harmful outbreaks such as bacterial infections, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. If sterilization procedures are not strictly maintained, there’s also a potential risk of HIV or AIDS.
According to medial literature data, approximately 10% of individuals report some kind of skin reaction after getting tattooes. There have also been some extereme cases of allergic reactions, granulomas, and skin tumors. While most tattoos do not cause significant long-term effects, in some cases inflammatory responses could erupt years later.
According to a report by Contact Dermatitis, red, blue, and yellow pigment in tattoos could trigger sever allergic reactions and even systemic responses. In particular, there is a lack of extensive regulation when it comes to ink ingredients. In U.S., and Israel, tattoo ink is considered a cosmetic product. So, a strict pharmaceutical regulation is not mandated in these nations, unlike Europe. This means, some inks may contain hazardous materials such as contaminants and carcinogenic components, that are not approved for subcutaneous use.
Tattoo ink doesn’t just stay in the skin—it can migrate to the lymph nodes and other organs. Some ink components, like carbon black and azo compounds, contain potentially carcinogenic substances.
This study examined whether tattoo exposure is linked to cancer risk. /2… pic.twitter.com/0JXl2mEL0Z— Brandon Luu, MD (@BrandonLuuMD) March 5, 2025
The sarcoidosis case also highlights the importance of awareness when it comes to getting a tattoo, something which is a widespread trend all across the world now. Experts emphasize that it is actually a medical a procedure that can significantly affects an individual’s skin, immune system, and even internal organs. So, people should always monitor the tattooed areas, speically if there is signs of irritation, swelling, abonormal coloration, and pain appears.
Experts recommend you should always choose a professional, hygeiene, and properly supervised studio to get inked and have a deep understanding of the risks before you proceed.
