Geographic atrophy is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is an eye disease that affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. Central vision allows you to see fine details and colors, which are necessary for activities such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces.
Geographic atrophy is characterized by the thinning or wasting away of light-sensitive cells in the macula. These cells are called photoreceptor cells, and they are essential for converting light into signals that the brain can interpret as vision. As geographic atrophy progresses, the areas of thinning become larger and more numerous, creating patchy areas of vision loss. These patchy areas of vision loss are what give geographic atrophy its name, as they can appear on an eye exam to look like a map.
Symptoms of geographic atrophy can include:
Blurred central vision
Difficulty seeing in low light
Distorted vision, such as straight lines appearing wavy
Blind spots in your central vision (scotoma)
There is currently no cure for geographic atrophy, but there are treatments that may help slow the progression of the disease and preserve vision.
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