My Tattoos Caused My Dry Eye?

A New Way To Look At Diagnosis And Treatment For Patients With Tattoo Eyeliner

Abstract

Purpose: This case report describes the potential impact of tattooed eyeliner on eyelid structure and function resulting in an increase in dry eye symptoms and findings.

Case Report: A 59-year-old Hispanic female presented for an evaluation following longstanding dry eye symptoms with little relief from artificial tears. Imaging showed meibomian gland dropout, possibly a result of her tattooed eyeliner. Symptoms and objective measurements improved successfully with warm compresses, lid massage, and lipid-based artificial tears.

Conclusions. Permanent tattooed eyeliner may enhance dryness of the eyes in two main ways: disruption of the architecture of the lids and chronic inflammation from tattoo pigment granules. Recognizing these possible effects in patients with tattooed eyeliner may help tailor treatment to be specific to the etiology of the patient’s dry eye: aiding the remaining meibomian glands by utilizing warm compresses, lid massage and supplementing the lipid from the missing meibomian glands by employing lipid-based artificial tears.