Progress Report: My Geographic Atrophy Treatment
On October 24, I went to my retina specialist for my fifth Izervay injection. It’s been quite a year after getting my diagnosis of geographic atrophy (GA) last year. At diagnosis, there was no treatment yet approved for GA.
Syfovre was approved by my next appointment. Like many others, my retina specialist was reluctant to start his patients on a new medication with potential side effects. He said another medication should be approved soon. By my December 2023 appointment, Izervay was approved. By then, he was treating his patients with both medications.
Deciding on a treatment for my GA
I considered several factors before making my decision. Some in our community have shared that their age was a factor in their decision. Some in their 80s decided not to start treatment. Starting injections requires a commitment some felt they were too old to make. I was progressing rapidly, so I didn’t worry about my age.
Transportation was another issue I had to consider. I travel 220 miles round-trip to see my doctor. A driver is a necessity and would impact family members that could drive me. After discussion with my family, everyone was onboard. Transportation would not impact my decision. Others in our community are not so blessed. They don’t have family to drive them, and public transportation may be prohibitively expensive or unavailable.
Potential side effects were my biggest concern, including the possibility that the medications may cause the patient to develop wet macular degeneration. It’s hard to wrap your mind around needing 2 injections if this happened. This gave me pause; some people in our community have decided the risk isn’t worth the potential benefit.
Beginning treatment with Izervay
In December of 2023, I chose to start treatment with Izervay. I was put on a bi-monthly injection schedule. As I shared previously, life got in the way of treatment a few times. I worried that the missed injections would negatively impact my results. I was greatly relieved when my scans indicated I was stable in spite of having to miss injections.
Each visit, I get an OCT scan, get my pressure checked, and read an eye chart to test for visual acuity before seeing the doctor. At my initial appointment, I tested 20/70 in the right eye and 20/150 in the left eye. Each subsequent eye exam indicated I was reading better with the right eye.
Results from my most recent appointment
At my last appointment, my left eye was 20/80, and the right was 20/60. When my doctor came in for my injection, he said my scans looked great with no perceptible progression.
I brought up the improvement in reading with my right eye. I asked if my eye was getting better. I also asked if other people had mentioned they were seeing better. He answered that a small subset of patients had reported they were seeing better, but the scans did not indicate an improvement in GA. He agreed, though, that I was reading the eye chart better with my treated eye. He summed it up by saying that whatever the reason was for my seeing better, "Don’t worry about the why. Just take the win."
Taking the win
My results are not typical, and responses to treatment are highly variable. What is clear, though, is that I am doing well with this new treatment. The scans indicate no progression.
For now, I am taking the win. Everything could change by the next visit, but I am rejoicing in today!
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