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We all know that, for the most part, ignoring our problems won’t make them go away. This is especially true when it comes to health. So, when, almost 20 years ago, 78-year-old New Yorker Betty was told by her optometrist that she may have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), she knew she needed to act fast. After visiting an ophthalmologist, Betty was diagnosed with dry AMD, which would eventually progress to GA.

GA, the advanced form of dry AMD, generally impacts people 55 and older and is caused when the light-sensitive cells in the central part of the retina, the macula, deteriorate. This tissue loss leads to a decrease in photoreceptors — the nerve cells responsible for detecting light — resulting in permanent vision loss.

Upon hearing her diagnosis, Betty’s instinct was to take action. “The first thing I asked was, ‘What medicine can I take for this?’” Betty recalls. “And that’s when he told me, ‘There isn’t any.’” There had never been a treatment for GA, so people with the condition could only hope that their disease progression would be slow. As her vision continued to deteriorate, Betty became determined to find a treatment.

“I was waiting with bated breath because there was a decline, you know, that I was experiencing, and IZERVAY, I heard about it in the news when it was awaiting FDA approval. The prospect of something slowing the progression, for a period of time, wow.” When Betty learned IZERVAY® (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) was FDA-approved to treat GA, and there was finally a medicine that could help her, she was elated. “I went from hearing there’s nothing you can do about this, to there finally being something. So I said, ‘Heck yeah. Sign me up.’”

IZERVAY doesn’t reverse vision damage caused by GA, but it can help slow GA progression. In two clinical trials of 624 people, IZERVAY was proven to slow GA progression by 18 to 35 percent in one year compared to those who were not treated.

Don't take IZERVAY if you have an infection or active swelling in or around your eye. IZERVAY can cause eye infection, retinal detachment, or increased risk of wet AMD. IZERVAY may cause blood in the white of the eye, blurred vision, or a temporary increase in eye pressure. Do not drive or use machinery until vision has recovered after an eye injection or exam. Please see the additional Important Safety Information below.

Many physicians had also been frustrated by having to tell their patients with GA there was no treatment available, and were equally relieved when the FDA approved GA treatments. According to retina specialist Ketan Laud, MD, this development has had a major positive psychological impact on his patients: “It provides hope to people with a very difficult problem,” he says. “Many of these patients come in with tremendous anxiety, depression, and fear of going blind. IZERVAY slows the progression of GA, which may help preserve their vision for as long as possible.”

While Betty will never regain the vision she once had, she’s still optimistic about the future and slowing the progression of her GA with IZERVAY. Recently, she’s taken up line dancing. “It wasn’t something I ever would have tried, but I got into it because I couldn’t do some of the other activities I used to do,” she says. “Turns out, I love it.” While Betty misses some aspects of her life before vision loss, like reading books and making art, she still manages to focus on the positive: “There are some things I just can’t do anymore. So, I focus on what I can do.”

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND USE

Do NOT receive IZERVAY^® (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) if you: 

• Have an infection in or around your eye 
• Have active swelling in or around your eye that may include pain and redness 

IZERVAY can cause serious side effects including: 

• Eye Infection and Retinal Detachment: Eye injections like the one for IZERVAY can cause an eye infection (endophthalmitis) or separation of layers of the retina (retinal detachment). 
• Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): There is a risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with IZERVAY. You should report any symptoms (visual distortions such as straight lines seeming bent, deterioration in vision, dark spots, loss of central vision) to your healthcare provider to monitor. 
• Increase in Eye Pressure: IZERVAY may cause a temporary increase in eye pressure after the injection. Your healthcare provider will monitor this after each injection. 

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have redness of the eye, eye pain, increased discomfort, worsening eye redness, blurred or decreased vision, an increased number of small specks floating in your vision, flashes of light, or increased sensitivity to light. 

Before receiving IZERVAY tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you: 

• Have a history of seeing flashes of light or small specks floating in your vision and if you have a sudden increase of size and number of these specks. 
• Have high pressure in the eye or if you have glaucoma. 
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine. 
• Are taking any medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Tell your healthcare provider about any medicine you take. 

What should I avoid while receiving IZERVAY? 

• Your vision may be impaired after receiving an eye injection or after an eye exam. Do not drive or use machinery until your vision has recovered sufficiently. 

What are the most common side effects of IZERVAY? 

• Blood in the white of the eye 
• Blurred vision 
• Increase in eye pressure
• Wet AMD
• Mild corneal irritation
• Eye pain

These are not all the possible side effects of IZERVAY. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. 

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is IZERVAY? 

IZERVAY is a prescription eye injection, used to treat geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced form of dry AMD. 

Please click here for accompanying full Prescribing Information. 

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