A Case of Persistent Macular Edema and a Disappearing Tattoo

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe a case of macular edema (ME), uveitis, and a disappearing tattoo.

Methods

A single case report from a tertiary referral center.

Results

The patient described in the following case report developed ME 15 years after a recently acquired tattoo on his arm had developed an erythematous rash and subsequently spontaneously disappeared with pathology consistent with a granulomatous process. Chest imaging identified the development of hilar lymphadenopathy that had not been previously noted.

Conclusions

This case represents a unique presentation of the delayed development of sarcoidosis many years after the patient had lost a tattoo to a dermal granulomatous reaction to the tattoo ink.

KEYWORDS:

• Macular edema
• sarcoidosis
• tattoo
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our patient who graciously agreed to scour photos of himself to find the before and after photos included within this manuscript. Secondly, we would like to acknowledge the Truhlsen Eye Institute imaging staff for their imaging expertise.

Disclosure of interests

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

CDC is supported by The Knights Templar Eye Foundation career starter grant and the IDeA Clinical and Translational Research Early Career Investigator Program.