What are the possible complications of giant cell arteritis/temporal arteritis?
Complications are much less likely to occur if treatment is started soon after symptoms begin. Possible complications of untreated giant cell arteritis include the following:. • Vision Loss (blindness either temporary or permanent. The temporal artery provides blood to the optic nerve. These are the small arteries going to the eye. If this happens then the optic nerve is starved of blood and that artery becomes blocked it can cause permanent serious problems, even blindness. Note: Arteries are blood vessels which take fresh blood to all the parts of the body. With Giant Cell Arteritis the medium-sized blood vessels become swollen. The most common artery to swell is the temporal artery. • Make sure you understand that if any new visual disturbance occurs you must seek urgent medical advice if your GP is not available go to the nearest accident and emergency admission hospital and explain the situation. Luckily Giant Cell Arteritis can be treated but there is currently no cure! If you go
