Temporal arteritis, also known as Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) or Horton disease is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels, most commonly involving large and medium arteries of the head. This condition is an inflammation of the arteries throughout the body. It can begin with a severe headache, pain when chewing, and tenderness or swelling in the temple area. It may later be followed by sudden vision loss, usually in one eye. You may suddenly lose vision in the other eye within a few days or weeks of the first. Researches don’t know the cause of this disease, but studies point towards an impaired immune system. It’s critical to make an appointment with Dr. Cartwright whenever you have sudden vision loss, because early treatment with medication may help save your vision in one or both eyes.
2015-12-30