[Ocular complications of Horton's disease]

Ocular manifestations of giant cell arteritis, of which permanent amaurosis overshadows all others, occur still frequently. They are usually preceeded by the classical signs of temporal arteritis, which should allow an earlier diagnosis and prompt corticosteroid treatment. Indeed, corticosteroids have proved very effective in preventing ocular complications. Once permanent amauposis is present, the treatment is still urgent, in order to avoid the involvement of the other eye and to restore some vision of the affected eye. However, once the eye is damaged, there is little hope that corticosteroid treatment will improve the vision, depending essentially upon which delay it has been started. These fearsome ocular complications argue for a better knowledge of the suggestive signs of temporal arteritis and highlight the urgency of corticosteroid treatment.