A new study in Emerging Infectious Diseases reports that uveitis — an internal eye inflammation — is the most common eye problem linked to Lyme disease.

It appeared in nearly half of the cases reviewed.

The research reviewed 38 reports of Lyme‑related eye issues from 1988 to 2025, offering one of the clearest looks yet at how the infection can occasionally affect vision.

The study, conducted by researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Weill Cornell Medical College, drew on 27 previously published medical reports to understand how Lyme disease shows up in the eyes.

While uveitis was the most frequent finding, other patients experienced optic neuritis or cranial nerve palsies, showing that Lyme‑related eye symptoms can vary widely.

Only five of the 38 cases had definitive laboratory confirmation of Lyme disease. The rest were classified as probable or possible based on symptoms and blood‑test results, underscoring how challenging diagnosis can be when the infection presents in unusual ways.