Finding strength through shared stories: Raising awareness of Geographic Atrophy (GA)
(BPT) - Did you know that roughly 1.5 million people in the United States are estimated to have Geographic Atrophy (GA), a leading cause of vision loss in older adults?
The first week of December marks the fifth annual GA Awareness Week, launched by the patient advocacy organization Prevent Blindness, dedicated to raising awareness about this serious eye disease. GA Week encourages adults, especially those over 65, to prioritize regular eye exams and discuss GA and overall eye health with their doctors.
Understanding GA and its impact on vision
GA is the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where patches of damaged cells called "lesions" grow. These lesions can cause irreversible damage to your retina and progressively impair central vision.
GA may progress faster than you think and can damage parts of your eye that help you read, drive, and recognize faces.
Sharing experiences to inform and empower
Receiving a GA diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Each patient's journey is unique, but connecting with resources and speaking openly with a doctor or someone else who has GA may make a difference. While the impact of GA can be significant, hearing from those living with the condition offers a valuable perspective and encouragement.
Patients like Sheli, a retired nurse, share their stories to help others feel informed, supported, and empowered.
"In 2018, I was officially diagnosed with GA. I had made the decision on my own to see a retina specialist, and I'm so glad I did," Sheli recalls. "They told me there weren't any perfect predictors for how the disease would progress. I was fortunate to find a retina specialist who was proactive and validated my concerns."
Though each journey is unique, many patients share similar challenges. Another is Richard, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot turned magician, who noticed his vision beginning to change years before his diagnosis.
"As a pilot, you rely on precision, focus, and vision-literally," he says. "I started noticing straight fences appearing wavy and lines on the road looking curved or sometimes disappearing. That's when I knew I needed to talk with my eye doctor."
Richard and Sheli's stories highlight the shared challenges of living with GA, from adapting to changing vision to understanding the importance of early detection. During GA Awareness Week, these moments of realization, like the first blurred line or fading familiar face, remind us that noticing even small changes in central vision is crucial for taking charge of your eye health.
Hope through treatment and community
Today, treatment options offer hope for patients like Richard and Sheli for slowing the progression of the disease. When SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection) 15 mg/0.1 mL received FDA approval in February 2023 and was the only FDA approved product at that time, Sheli didn't wait. She began treatment that March, eager to take action to slow the progression of her GA.
SYFOVRE is an FDA-approved treatment from Apellis Pharmaceuticals proven to slow the progression of GA lesions caused by dry AMD. SYFOVRE works by regulating an overactive part of the eye's immune system that contributes to GA progression. While it doesn't stop or reverse damage to vision, it can help slow the progression of GA.
Sheli and her doctor discussed the safety and efficacy of SYFOVRE before starting treatment. Common side effects are eye discomfort, wet AMD, small specks floating in vision, and blood in the white of the eye.
Please continue reading for additional important safety information.
"I've been asked if it was a hard decision to start on SYFOVRE. For me, it wasn't," Sheli notes. "I know everyone has their own calculus for weighing treatment options, but after searching for ten years for something that could give me hope, SYFOVRE was the first to show real results in slowing disease progression."
Under her doctor's guidance, Sheli now receives SYFOVRE injections in both eyes every month. Your retina specialist will decide how often you receive SYFOVRE (once every 25 to 60 days). "I'm just so happy to finally be doing something," she says.
The power of shared stories
Stories like Richard's and Sheli's demonstrate how education, early detection, and advances in treatment can make a meaningful difference for those affected by GA. Their journeys highlight the value of strong partnerships between patients and healthcare providers in recognizing and treating GA.
GA Awareness Week is an important reminder to prioritize eye health year-round and to continue discussing risk factors and early detection. Awareness isn't just about understanding GA-it's about sharing experiences, supporting one another, and inspiring hope and resilience even as vision changes.
Learn more and find support
Want to learn more or hear directly from patients like Sheli? Resources are available to help you better understand GA.
- Visit SYFOVRE.com, to learn more about GA and explore additional inspiring patient stories.
- Hear Richard's story and the importance of open communication with his doctor on The Balancing Act, streaming on Lifetime on December 3rd at 7:30 am EST.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is SYFOVRE?
SYFOVRE is a prescription eye injection, used to treat GA, the dry advanced form of AMD.
Who should NOT receive SYFOVRE®(pegcetacoplan injection)?
Do not receive SYFOVRE if you have an infection or active swelling in or around your eye that may include pain and redness, or are allergic to pegcetacoplan or any ingredients in SYFOVRE. SYFOVRE can cause serious allergic reactions such as trouble breathing, tongue, face, lips, or mouth swelling, rashes, and hives.
SYFOVRE can cause serious side effects:
- Eye infection (endophthalmitis) or separation of layers of the retina (retinal detachment).
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have eye redness, light sensitivity, eye pain, or any change in vision including blurred, wavy/distorted vision, small specks floating in your vision, or flashing lights.
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have eye redness, light sensitivity, eye pain, or any change in vision including blurred, wavy/distorted vision, small specks floating in your vision, or flashing lights.
- Severe inflammation of vessels in the retina which may result in severe vision loss. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have eye redness, light sensitivity, eye pain, or any change in vision including blurred, wavy/distorted vision, or flashing lights.
- Risk of developing wet AMD. You should be monitored for signs of wet AMD and you should report if you have any change in vision including blurred, wavy/distorted vision, black spots, or loss of central vision to your healthcare provider.
- Episodes of eye inflammation. You should report any symptoms including eye redness, light sensitivity, eye pain, small specks floating in your vision, or any changes in vision to your healthcare provider.
- Increase in eye pressure within minutes of the injection. Your healthcare provider will monitor this after each injection.
Before receiving SYFOVRE:
- Tell your healthcare provider if any of the following applies to you:
- If you have a history of seeing flashes of light or small specks floating in your vision and notice a sudden increase of size and number of these specks.
- If you have high pressure in the eye or glaucoma.
- If you have a history of seeing flashes of light or small specks floating in your vision and notice a sudden increase of size and number of these specks.
- Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including
- If you are, or think you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
- If you are, or think you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
- Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
What should I avoid while receiving SYFOVRE?
- After an injection or an eye exam, your eyesight may temporarily be impaired. Do not drive or use machinery until your vision recovers.
What are the most common side effects of SYFOVRE?
- Wet age-related macular degeneration
- Small specks floating in vision
- Blood in the white of the eye
These are not all the possible side effects of SYFOVRE. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
For full Prescribing Information, visit https://pi.apellis.com/files/PI_SYFOVRE.pdf.
Source: BrandPoint
