During what stage may visual acuity remain unchanged in Geographic Atrophy?

Visual acuity may remain unchanged in the early stages of Geographic Atrophy (GA) because, during this phase, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and underlying photoreceptors may still be functioning adequately despite the presence of atrophic changes. In the early stages, the impact of the atrophy on the macular area isn't pronounced enough to affect vision significantly, as the disease primarily results in a loss of function in the RPE, which may not yet compromise visual acuity. As the disease progresses to the mid-stages and late stages, the extent of RPE loss and the associated damage to the photoreceptors usually leads to a reduction in visual acuity. Therefore, it is primarily in the early stages where patients might not exhibit any noticeable decline in their vision despite the presence of geographic atrophy.