Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease of the aging eye. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50 years of age.

An estimated 11 million people have AMD in the United States.

AMD develops when the macula, the small portion of your retina responsible for your central vision, starts aging. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of your eye responsible for your vision.

Dry AMD is the most common form of AMD.

Dry AMD is caused by the thinning of the macula. This is the part of the retina responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight, for example, when driving, seeing faces, and reading.

As dry AMD progresses, it may get harder for you to do things such as read, drive, and recognize faces.

Geographic atrophy, or GA, is an advanced form of AMD. It affects the macula, which is responsible for your central vision. Individuals with dry AMD or wet AMD can develop GA.

GA often affects both eyes. There is no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved treatment for GA.

As GA progresses, you may experience blind spots, distortions, or other changes to your vision. See below for a list of common symptoms.

Wet AMD is generally caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula, which is responsible for central vision, leading to loss of central vision.

Most people do not have symptoms and are not aware that they have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or geographic atrophy (GA).

Loss of vision may happen slowly over many years. And people may mistake their fading eyesight as a normal sign of aging—which can lead to more severe vision loss.

This vision loss is permanent.

Symptoms to watch out for include

• Gradual loss of central vision
• A blurry or dark spot (or spots) in one or both eyes
• Difficulty recognizing faces
• Distortion of lines or shapes
• Difficulty with
• Distinguishing color
• Adjusting from bright to dim lighting
• Depth perception
• Close work (threading a needle, reading, cooking, etc)
• Driving
• Watching TV

Even though you may not be experiencing all the symptoms of GA, you may still be eligible to participate in GATHER2.

If you're interested in participating in the GATHER2 Clinical Trial, please call 1-833-ZIMURA2 (1-833-946-8722) toll-free at any time. A representative will take your call between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

If you call after hours or during the weekend, please leave a message and we will attempt to return your call by the next business day.

Early on, you may not have any signs or symptoms.

However, as AMD progresses, it can get worse and affect one or both eyes. GA generally affects both eyes.

Click on the tabs below to see how AMD with GA can affect your vision over time.

There are currently no approved treatments for dry AMD and GA.

There are approved treatment options available for wet AMD.

Early detection and treatment may help reduce vision loss and, in some cases, recover vision.

GATHER2 is intended to study whether Zimura is a safe and effective treatment for GA associated with AMD.