GA: Geographic Atrophy

By edielaude

1 min read

I recently heard what GA stands for: geographic atrophy.

It is a very bad thing. I guess it is the end of macular degeneration.
I am petrified by this. I noticed that my right eye for which I get an injection once every 12 weeks is not as sharp as my left eye for which I get an injection every 6 weeks. I did mentioned this to my doctor but he says my right eye is stable. Does any one know exactly what are the symptoms of this GA. and could tell me.

Thank you for your help

Edie Laude

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Sharon Moore Moderator
<inline-mention username="edielaude" user-id="3117642"/> I was recently diagnosed with GA. I noticed more blurring. I can’t recognize faces until they are close to me. When I look at the eye chart with my right eye the first 1 or 2 letters are missing. It is not uncommon for a person to have both wet and dry macular degeneration in the same eye. In my experience the rate of progression is different in each eye. My right eye is much worse than the left. Your retinal specialist could tell you if your scans indicate GA. Here is an article explaining it better than I can. <a href='https://preventblindness.org/geographic-atrophy/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://preventblindness.org/geographic-atrophy/</a>. There is now a treatment for GA. Keep us posted. Warmly, Sharon Moore patient leader
Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
<inline-mention username="edielaude" user-id="3117642"/> I would like to add to what Sharon has said. It is a little piece of information that I seem to have picked up in my travels between different retinal specialists. One RS told me I had GA and the other one said I was still at the intermediate stage. I deduce from this that it isn't an exact science. There is no one exact "tipping point" between intermediate stage and GA. It depends on how advanced your doctor thinks you are. Obviously, if and when one's sight deteriorates to a certain point, the GA diagnosis becomes definite. This is just my opinion from my own experience. Wendy, Patient Leader.
edielaude Member
I think I said that my doctor watches both of my eyes every time I go and he said that my right eye is stable ( one shot every 12 weeks) while my newer wet left eye he feels is still not well enough to go more than 6 weeks. Thank you for your comments. I always feel reassured when you all pay attention to my concerns. I don't feel so lonely I am going to be 91 years old this coming December. Again Thank you. Edie Laude
1. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="edielaude" user-id="3117642"/> we are pleased to have you in our Community (although obviously we wish you didn't have macular degeneration!) It sounds as though your doctor is taking good care of you, and I hope you can eventually get both eyes up to the 12 week mark. It's not long until your birthday, but I hope we will touch base with you again before then. Warm wishes, Wendy, Patient Leader.