Considerations for the Identification and Management of Geographic Atrophy: Recommendations from an Expert Panel

Abstract

Newly approved treatments for patients with geographic atrophy are changing the treatment paradigm, highlighting the need for eye care providers (ECPs) to have a set of recommendations on how to best manage GA patients. Here, we outline how to identify various stages of age-related macular degeneration including geographic atrophy (GA) by examining optimal management scenarios implicating various ECPs and reviewing treatment considerations for patients with GA. Early identification of GA will lead to optimal patient outcomes, while a standardized management scenario will reduce clinical burden among ECPs treating patients with GA.

Keywords:

• age-related macular degeneration
• patient care
• retina
• treatment

Statement of Ethics Approval

As this study does not involve patients or study subjects, and it does not submit people to actions or impose specific behaviors on them, according to the Medical Research in Human Subjects Act (WMO), an ethical approval was not needed.

Disclosure

Dr Carl Regillo reports grants and/or personal fees from Apellis, Iveric, Annexon, NGM, Stealth, Gyroscope, and Janssen, during the conduct of the study. Dr Lisa Nijm reports personal fees from Iveric Bio, during the conduct of the study; grants and/or personal fees from Azura Ophthalmics, Bausch + Lomb, BVI Medical, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dompe, Horizon Therapeutics Plc, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Alcon Pharmaceuticals, Ocular Therapeutix, Orasis, Oyster Point Pharma/Viatris, Rayner Intraocular Lenses Ltd, Scope Health, Sun Ophthalmics, Tarsus, Trukera Medical (TearLab Corporation), THEA, and Visus, outside the submitted work. Dr Peter Kaiser reports grants from Apellis; personal fees from Iveric Bio, Annexon, Alexion, Aviceda, Novartis, Janssen, Galimedix, Kriya Therapeutics, Stealth, and Thea, outside the submitted work. Dr Paul Karpecki reports personal fees from Iveric, Apellis, Bausch and Lomb, ScienceBased Health, and Zeiss, outside the submitted work. Dr Michael Ip reports personal fees from Alimera, Allergan, Amgen, Apellis, Clearside Biomedical, Genentech, IVERIC Bio, Novartis, Regeneron, Regenxbio, Biogen, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, ONL Therapeutics, Regenxbio, and 4DMT, outside the submitted work. Dr Elizabeth Yeu is research consultant for AcuFocus, Adaptilens, Advanced Vision Group, Aldeyra, Allergan, Bausch & Lomb, BioTissue, BVI, BlephEx, Bruder, Centricity, CorneaGen, Dompe, Elios, Expert Opinion, Eyenovia, ForSight, Glaukos, Guidepoint, Iveric Bio, J&J Vision, Kala, LayerBio, LensAR, Melt, Merck, New World Medical, Novartis, OSRX, Ocusoft, Samsara, ScienceBased Health, Sight Sciences, Surface, Thea, Visus, and Zeiss; Speakers’ Bureau Research for Alcon, consultant for and owns equity from Aurion, consultant director for Avellino; consultant director for and owns equity from STAAR, and Tarsus, outside the submitted work. Dr Mohammad Rafieetary reports personal fees from Heidelberg, personal fees from Optos, personal fees from Regeneron, personal fees from Apellis, personal fees from Iveric Bio, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Notal Vision, personal fees from OcuTerra, and personal fees from Zeiss, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.