The doctor says it's treated with steroids and if she doesn't get treatment quickly she could go blind. Temporal arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large arteries. This disease affects about 1 out of 1,000 people age 50 and older. It is slightly more common in women. The cause is unknown.
Symptoms vary depending on which arteries are affected.
Typically the large arteries to the head are affected, and a severe headache usually develops suddenly at the temples or back of the head. The blood vessels in the temple may feel swollen and bumpy to the touch. The scalp may feel painful when the hair is brushed. Double vision, blurred vision, large blind spots, blindness of one eye or other eye problems may develop. The greatest danger is permanent blindness, which can happen suddenly if the blood supply to the optic nerve is blocked.