Geographic atrophy (often shortened to GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration. The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes it as an area of cell loss in the retina that can cause loss of central vision.

It is not the same as wet AMD, which involves abnormal, leaky blood vessels. Some people can have GA in one area and other AMD changes in the same eye or the other eye. Only your eye doctor can tell you what your images show.

How it is watched

GA is usually found on a dilated exam and with imaging such as photographs of the retina and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Your doctor may also talk with you about monitoring your vision at home, including an Amsler grid, as described by AAO and NEI. A grid does not replace regular exams.

Treatment conversations

AAO’s patient page on macular degeneration states that, right now, only dry AMD with geographic atrophy can be treated in the sense that medications injected into the eye may slow how fast geographic atrophy progresses, with the hope of delaying vision loss. That page does not list drug names here, and this site will not add product names or outcome percentages unless they are cited and reviewed.

Those injected medicines are a different path from Valeda light therapy. They are not interchangeable.

How this relates to Valeda

The FDA indications for the Valeda Light Delivery System include some people with non-central geographic atrophy, and they exclude center-involving (center-involving / central) geographic atrophy and neovascular (wet) maculopathy. In other words, the location and type of atrophy matter. Your doctor, not a webpage, decides whether you are a candidate. See Who it’s for and the FDA decision summary.

Book an exam

You can choose your office and book an exam online, or call Hazleton Eye Specialists at 570-453-2020.

Sources

• American Academy of Ophthalmology. Understanding Macular Degeneration. Retrieved November 15, 2026.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. DEN230083 decision summary.

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general education only. It is not medical advice and does not replace an examination or a conversation with your own doctors. Do not start, stop, or change any medicine or treatment without talking to the clinician who cares for you. If you notice new wavy lines, a sudden blur, or a blank spot in your central vision, seek same-day care from an eye doctor or an emergency department.