Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (878 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A form of macular degeneration also known as dry macular degeneration marked by occurrence of a well-defined progressive lesion or atrophy in the central part of the retina called the macula lutea. It is distinguishable from wet macular degeneration in that the latter involves neovascular exudates.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Atrophies, Geographic; Atrophy, Geographic; Geographic Atrophies; Dry Macular Degeneration; Degeneration, Dry Macular; Degenerations, Dry Macular; Dry Macular Degenerations; Macular Degeneration, Dry.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Macular Degeneration
Related concepts
- Macular Degeneration
- Retina
- Macula Lutea
- Wet Macular Degeneration
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,443 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Geographic Atrophy” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 742 of them (51.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 742 records.
Reviews account for 210 records (14.6%) and meta-analyses for 28. Randomized controlled trials number 122 (8.5%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up a comparatively large share of this literature, which means many treatment questions have been tested directly.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 10 |
| 2010-2019 | 719 |
| 2020 onward | 742 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 210 | 14.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 28 | 1.9% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 122 | 8.5% |
Method: PubMed query "Geographic Atrophy"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in eye, ear, nose and throat
Eye, hearing, nose and throat studies rely on specialist tests (visual acuity, eye pressure, audiograms, scopes) and on patient-reported symptoms, which vary between people and with age. Some conditions improve without treatment, so comparison groups matter. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; sudden loss of sight or hearing needs urgent care from a qualified clinician. Check how the outcome was tested, the age of the people studied and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration: therapeutic avenues, clinical trials and future directions | 2022 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 145 | cc by PMID 33741584 · DOI · PMC8867261 |
| Avacincaptad pegol for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: 18-month findings from the GATHER1 trial | 2023 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 114 | cc by PMID 36964259 · DOI · PMC10686386 |
| Simultaneous perception of prosthetic and natural vision in AMD patients | 2022 | Clinical trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 110 | cc by PMID 35082313 · DOI · PMC8792035 |
| Subretinal Photovoltaic Implant to Restore Vision in Geographic Atrophy Due to AMD | 2026 | Clinical trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 36 | cc by PMID 41124203 · DOI · PMC7618305 |
Treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration: therapeutic avenues, clinical trials and future directions [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the developed world.
- Closing excerpt
- In this review, we aim to provide an update of the interventional trials to date and future prospects for the treatment of dry AMD.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (152 words)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the developed world. The identification of the central role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of neovascular AMD and the introduction of anti-VEGF agents as gold-standard treatment, have drastically changed its prognosis-something yet to be seen in dry AMD. Several therapeutic avenues with a wide variability of targets are currently being investigated in dry AMD. The approaches being investigated to reduce the rate of disease progression include, (1) drugs with antioxidative properties, (2) inhibitors of the complement cascade, (3) neuroprotective agents, (4) visual cycle inhibitors, (5) gene therapy and (6) cell-based therapies. A number of early phase clinical trials have provided promising results, with many more ongoing and anticipated in the near future. In this review, we aim to provide an update of the interventional trials to date and future prospects for the treatment of dry AMD.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33741584 · DOI · PMC8867261
Avacincaptad pegol for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: 18-month findings from the GATHER1 trial [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background/objectivesTo assess the safety and efficacy of avacincaptad pegol (ACP), a C5 inhibitor, for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) over an 18-month treatment course.
- Closing excerpt
- A pivotal phase 3 GATHER2 trial is currently underway to support the efficacy and safety of ACP as a potential treatment for GA.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (242 words)
Background/objectivesTo assess the safety and efficacy of avacincaptad pegol (ACP), a C5 inhibitor, for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) over an 18-month treatment course.Subjects/methodsThis study was an international, prospective, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled, phase 2/3 clinical trial that consisted of 2 parts. In part 1, 77 participants were randomized 1:1:1 to receive monthly intravitreal injections of ACP 1 mg, ACP 2 mg, or sham. In part 2, 209 participants were randomized 1:2:2 to receive monthly ACP 2 mg, ACP 4 mg, or sham. The mean rate of change of GA over 18 months was measured by fundus autofluorescence.ResultsCompared with their respective sham cohorts, monthly ACP treatment reduced the mean GA growth (square root transformation) over 18 months by 28.1% (0.168 mm, 95% CI [0.066, 0.271]) for the 2 mg cohort and 30.0% (0.167 mm, 95% CI [0.062, 0.273]) for the 4 mg cohort. ACP treatment was generally well tolerated over 18 months, with most ocular adverse events (AEs) related to the injection procedure. Macular neovascularization (MNV) was more frequent in both 2 mg (11.9%) and 4 mg (15.7%) cohorts than their respective sham control groups (2.7% and 2.4%).ConclusionsOver this 18-month study, ACP 2 mg and 4 mg showed continued reductions in the progression of GA growth compared to sham and continued to be generally well tolerated. A pivotal phase 3 GATHER2 trial is currently underway to support the efficacy and safety of ACP as a potential treatment for GA.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36964259 · DOI · PMC10686386
Simultaneous perception of prosthetic and natural vision in AMD patients [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Loss of photoreceptors in atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD) results in severe visual impairment.
- Closing excerpt
- Under room lighting conditions, patients could simultaneously use prosthetic central vision and their remaining peripheral vision in the implanted eye and in the fellow eye.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (208 words)
Loss of photoreceptors in atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD) results in severe visual impairment. Since the low-resolution peripheral vision is retained in such conditions, restoration of central vision should not jeopardize the surrounding healthy retina and allow for simultaneous use of the natural and prosthetic sight. This interim report, prespecified in the study protocol, presents the first clinical results with a photovoltaic substitute of the photoreceptors providing simultaneous use of the central prosthetic and peripheral natural vision in atrophic AMD. In this open-label single group feasibility trial (NCT03333954, recruitment completed), five patients with geographic atrophy have been implanted with a wireless 2 x 2 mm-wide 30 µm-thick device, having 378 pixels of 100 µm in size. All 5 patients achieved the primary outcome of the study by demonstrating the prosthetic visual perception in the former scotoma. The four patients with a subretinal placement of the chip demonstrated the secondary outcome: Landolt acuity of 1.17 ± 0.13 pixels, corresponding to the Snellen range of 20/460-20/565. With electronic magnification of up to a factor of 8, patients demonstrated prosthetic acuity in the range of 20/63-20/98. Under room lighting conditions, patients could simultaneously use prosthetic central vision and their remaining peripheral vision in the implanted eye and in the fellow eye.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 35082313 · DOI · PMC8792035
Subretinal Photovoltaic Implant to Restore Vision in Geographic Atrophy Due to AMD [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundGeographic atrophy due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and affects more than 5 million persons worldwide.
- Closing excerpt
- ).
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (276 words)
BackgroundGeographic atrophy due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and affects more than 5 million persons worldwide. No therapies to restore vision in such persons currently exist. The photovoltaic retina implant microarray (PRIMA) system combines a subretinal photovoltaic implant and glasses that project near-infrared light to the implant in order to restore sight to areas of central retinal atrophy.MethodsWe conducted an open-label, multicenter, prospective, single-group, baseline-controlled clinical study in which the vision of participants with geographic atrophy and a visual acuity of at least 1.2 logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) was assessed with PRIMA glasses and without PRIMA glasses at 6 and 12 months. The primary end points were a clinically meaningful improvement in visual acuity (defined as ≥0.2 logMAR) from baseline to month 12 after implantation and the number and severity of serious adverse events related to the procedure or device through month 12.ResultsA total of 38 participants received a PRIMA implant, of whom 32 were assessed at 12 months. Of the 6 participants who were not assessed, 3 had died, 1 had withdrawn, and 2 were unavailable for testing. Among the 32 participants who completed 12 months of follow-up, the PRIMA system led to a clinically meaningful improvement in visual acuity from baseline in 26 (81%; 95% confidence interval, 64 to 93; PConclusionsIn this study involving 38 participants with geographic atrophy due to AMD, the PRIMA system restored central vision and led to a significant improvement in visual acuity from baseline to month 12. (Funded by Science Corporation and the Moorfields National Institute for Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre; PRIMAvera ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04676854.).
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41124203 · DOI · PMC7618305
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Consensus Definition for Atrophy Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration on OCT: Classification of Atrophy Report 3 [5]
- Research article The Progression of Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration [6]
- Research article Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Europe: The Past and the Future [7]
- Research article Geographic atrophy: clinical features and potential therapeutic approaches [8]
- Research article THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY SECONDARY TO AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION AND THE COMPLEMENT PATHWAY AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET [9]
- Research article Imaging Protocols in Clinical Studies in Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Recommendations from Classification of Atrophy Consensus Meetings [10]
References
- Cabral de Guimaraes TA, Daich Varela M, Georgiou M, Michaelides M. Treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration: therapeutic avenues, clinical trials and future directions. . 2022. PMID 33741584 · DOI · PMC8867261
- Patel SS, Lally DR, Hsu J, Wykoff CC, Eichenbaum D, Heier JS, et al.. Avacincaptad pegol for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: 18-month findings from the GATHER1 trial. . 2023. PMID 36964259 · DOI · PMC10686386
- Palanker D, Le Mer Y, Mohand-Said S, Sahel JA. Simultaneous perception of prosthetic and natural vision in AMD patients. . 2022. PMID 35082313 · DOI · PMC8792035
- Holz FG, Le Mer Y, Muqit MMK, Hattenbach LO, Cusumano A, Grisanti S, et al.. Subretinal Photovoltaic Implant to Restore Vision in Geographic Atrophy Due to AMD. . 2026. PMID 41124203 · DOI · PMC7618305
- Sadda SR, Guymer R, Holz FG, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Curcio CA, Bird AC, et al.. Consensus Definition for Atrophy Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration on OCT: Classification of Atrophy Report 3. Ophthalmology. 2018. PMID 29103793 · DOI · PMC11366072
- Fleckenstein M, Mitchell P, Freund KB, Sadda S, Holz FG, Brittain C, et al.. The Progression of Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2018. PMID 29110945 · DOI
- Colijn JM, Buitendijk GHS, Prokofyeva E, Alves D, Cachulo ML, Khawaja AP, et al.. Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Europe: The Past and the Future. Ophthalmology. 2017. PMID 28712657 · DOI · PMC5755466
- Holz FG, Strauss EC, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, van Lookeren Campagne M. Geographic atrophy: clinical features and potential therapeutic approaches. Ophthalmology. 2014. PMID 24433969 · DOI
- Boyer DS, Schmidt-Erfurth U, van Lookeren Campagne M, Henry EC, Brittain C. THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY SECONDARY TO AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION AND THE COMPLEMENT PATHWAY AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET. Retina. 2017. PMID 27902638 · DOI · PMC5424580
- Holz FG, Sadda SR, Staurenghi G, Lindner M, Bird AC, Blodi BA, et al.. Imaging Protocols in Clinical Studies in Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Recommendations from Classification of Atrophy Consensus Meetings. Ophthalmology. 2017. PMID 28109563 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.