Characterizing Patient Perceptions of Living with Geographic Atrophy: The Global Geographic Atrophy Insights Survey

Background: Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration leading to irreversible vision loss and negative impacts on quality of life.

Methods: To assess the experiences of living with GA, the Geographic Atrophy Insights Survey (GAINS) was conducted between October 12, 2021, and December 10, 2021, captured the responses of individuals ≥60 years with a self-reported GA diagnosis residing in the United States, Canada, Australia, and six European countries. Survey questions focused on the perceptions of individuals living with GA and covered six themes: speed of disease progression, effect on independence, impact on quality of life, emotional toll of GA, misconceptions and need for further education about GA, and clinician interactions. An exploratory comparison between participants with unilateral and bilateral GA was conducted.

Results: The survey included 203 individuals with a mean age of 70 years; 42% had bilateral GA. Most respondents (77%) agreed ("strongly" or "somewhat agreed") that GA impacted their vision faster than expected, and 68% agreed that it is hard to enjoy life fully the way they did before GA diagnosis. Regarding comparisons between individuals with bilateral and unilateral GA, both groups reported similar "major" or "moderate" negative impacts on their ability to drive (73% vs 75%, respectively), followed by the ability to read (66% vs 71%), and ability to travel as much as they would prefer (62% vs 62%). Among participants, 49% and 56% of respondents with bilateral and unilateral GA, respectively, reported major/moderate negative impacts on self-confidence and 40% of both cohorts reported major/moderate negative impacts on mental health.

Conclusion: Our survey provides further insight on the burden experienced by individuals living with GA. We find similar responses between unilateral and bilateral GA groups, highlighting the impact GA may have on an individual's quality of life even when only one eye is affected.