Patient Education
Geographic Atrophy Injections
In-office · every 1–2 months, ongoing
Geographic atrophy is the advanced form of dry macular degeneration, in which patches of retinal cells gradually die and expand, leaving permanent blind spots. Two injectable medications — pegcetacoplan (Syfovre) and avacincaptad pegol (Izervay) — slow the growth of those patches by quieting part of the immune system called the complement cascade.
Geographic atrophy is the advanced form of dry macular degeneration, in which patches of retinal cells gradually die and expand, leaving permanent blind spots. Two injectable medications — pegcetacoplan (Syfovre) and avacincaptad pegol (Izervay) — slow the growth of those patches by quieting part of the immune system called the complement cascade. They do not restore lost vision or stop atrophy altogether; they slow how fast it spreads.
What It Treats
What to Expect
Before
Candidacy is decided from imaging — particularly fundus autofluorescence and OCT, which show the size, shape, and location of the atrophic patches. Your doctor will discuss what the treatment can and cannot do, since the benefit is measured in slower progression rather than better vision.
During
The injection is given exactly like any other intravitreal injection: numbing drops, antiseptic, a lid holder, and a few seconds for the injection itself.
After
The same short-lived blurring and scratchiness as other injections. Treatment continues every one to two months indefinitely, with imaging repeated periodically to track the atrophy.
Recovery & Restrictions
- Bring a driver; plan on blurred vision for the rest of the day.
- Treatment is long-term and the benefit is cumulative — the gap between treated and untreated eyes widens over years, not weeks.
- Your vision will not improve from these injections. The goal is to protect the retina you still have, particularly the areas near the center that you read with.
- Report any new distortion, a dark spot that appears suddenly, or a drop in vision — these can signal conversion to wet AMD, which is treatable but time-sensitive.
Risks & Side Effects
Conversion to wet macular degeneration
Both medications raise the chance that the eye develops abnormal new vessels — wet AMD. This is treatable with anti-VEGF injections, but it is the reason for continued monitoring and for reporting new distortion promptly.
Inflammation inside the eye
Uncommon, but reported with both drugs and occasionally severe. Pain, increasing redness, or worsening vision after an injection should be evaluated the same day.
Raised eye pressure
Pressure spikes have been reported after injection and are checked at follow-up.
The usual injection risks
Infection inside the eye, surface bleeding, and floaters carry the same small risks described for any intravitreal injection.
Every procedure carries risk, and this list is not exhaustive. Your doctor will discuss the risks that apply to your eye and your circumstances before you decide.