For Jackii Mudge, learning to advocate for herself became one of the most powerful ways to manage geographic atrophy (GA) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Diagnosed with GA in one eye in 2024 — and living with wet AMD in both — Jackii knows how important it is to take charge of her health.

“You can’t expect your doctor to take care of you if you don’t take care of yourself,” she said. “You have to be proactive with your health, and you have to be proactive with this disease.”

Throughout her journey, which included switching doctors and asking tough questions, Jackii found that four key questions helped her better understand her condition and feel more confident about her treatment regimen.

1. Should I Get Treatment for My Geographic Atrophy?

Jackii encourages others to speak up. “I think doctors actually appreciate when you ask good questions,” she said. One of the first questions she recommends asking is: “Doctor, should I think about getting some treatment for my GA?”

Each person’s situation is different. In Jackii’s case, treatment wasn’t immediately recommended. “Because my geographic atrophy started right in the center of my eye,” she explained, “my doctor’s looking to see if it spreads. If it spreads, she might suggest some treatment for it.”

2. What Treatment Do You Recommend?

Asking about treatment options helped Jackii feel more informed. Her second doctor — a world-renowned researcher — offered more insight than she’d received before. “I felt this doctor was more up on things and could give me a better sense of treatment,” she said.

This specialist also told her about a newer approach. “There is a fairly new way of looking at it that doctors are doing now,” she said.

3. Why Do You Recommend or Not Recommend a Treatment?

Understanding the reasoning behind a doctor’s recommendation was crucial for Jackii. “‘Why?’ is the question that every doctor should answer,” she said. “Why, how, and when?”

Her new doctor took the time to explain why treatment might — or might not — make sense based on her specific case and type of AMD.

4. Can You Explain It to Me a Little Better?

Medical language can be hard to follow, so Jackii advises asking for clarification when something isn’t clear. “Say, ‘Doctor, I don’t understand what you mean. Could you explain it to me a little better?’” she said. “‘Can you show it to me on my scan so I can understand it better?’”

She also emphasized the value of finding a doctor who sees you as more than your diagnosis. “My doctor … looks at me as a wife, a mother, a climber, a skier, a hiker — a person who does a lot of different things. She doesn’t look at me as just my disease,” Jackii said. “There’s such an emotional and psychological burden that you carry when you get a diagnosis like geographic atrophy.”

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Does your retinal specialist listen to your questions? Have they given you the answers you needed? Let others know in the comments below.