Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)

What it is

Giant cell arteritis is an autoimmune inflammation of artery walls. When arteries to the eye are affected, blood flow to the optic nerve can drop suddenly, causing painless or painful vision loss. It may occur with polymyalgia rheumatica, which causes shoulder and hip aching.

Warning symptoms

Symptoms can develop over days to weeks.

• New headache, often at the temples
• Tenderness when touching the scalp or wearing glasses
• Jaw pain or fatigue when chewing
• Sudden blurred or lost vision in one eye
• General tiredness, fever or weight loss in some people

Why it is urgent

Vision loss can progress to the other eye within days if inflammation is not treated. High-dose steroid treatment is usually started urgently after assessment and blood tests, sometimes before biopsy results return.

Diagnosis and treatment

Blood tests such as ESR and CRP are often raised. A temporal artery biopsy may confirm the diagnosis. Treatment is typically oral steroids, tapered slowly over months with specialist follow-up to protect vision and monitor side effects.